The Farmer's Daughter
by SunlitMercy
Summary: Cassidy Reeves is an average farm girl who's lived in Santa Carla her entire life. Up until now, she had no idea of the night dwelling residents...
1. Chapter 1 First Glance

**Hey guys! I'm still wondering if it's a good idea to take up this story when I'm still writing A Sparrow's Heart and A Second Chance at Life plus tons of school work, but I thought what the heck! Why not? I mean, that's what writers do right? Well, anyways, I've had this story in my head for a couple of weeks now and thought I should just write it out! I hope you enjoy! **

000

"Bye Carter! Pick me up at eleven, will you?" My brother honked the truck horn in response and drove away.

Let me tell you a little about myself. My name's Cassidy Reeves and I live in the city of Santa Carla. Well, actually I live on a farm and wake up every morning at 4:30 to milk the cows. It's a drag, I know, and maybe you don't want to hear about a stupid farm girl, but I'm gonna keep talking anyways. Like I was saying, I milk cows, plant crops, and do pretty much any kind of farm activity you can think of. Hey, it's not my fault! I was born into farm life. I also delivered different supplies that my father, Jamie, made back home. Stuff like dog food or mulch or something. I'll admit, it's not a very appealing life style, but it's my life style, so get used to it if you're gonna keep listening to me. I promise my story gets more interesting as it goes on.

Anyways, I was the quiet girl in school that occasionally spoke up in a conversation only because I hated the people who hung out with me. I didn't ask them to, they just sorta did. I had friends outside of high school, I'm a senior by the way and I'll be graduating in a couple of months. My favorite choice of clothing was plaid. Yes, I'm serious and yes, I realize that it's very stereotypical, but plaid held up well. I always wore those open, long sleeved plaid shirts (the color depended on my mood) with a tank top, jeans, and my working boots. Oh, by the way, I have blonde, curly hair and blue eyes if anybody wants to know. I was very outgoing with my real friends, but a hint of that shy girl always showed.

Okay, let me tell you now, this isn't some cliché love story that every book tends to contain now in days. No, this a true, honest love story that hopefully with spark your interest. If it doesn't, that's your fault.

I picked up the bag of organic dog food that my brother had dumped on the ground and walked towards the boardwalk. Tonight was Friday and I only had one delivery left.

"Winchester! Jesse! Come on!" I called behind me to my two border collies. They trotted behind me as I carried the bag of food, their dog collars jingling to make a merry little sound in my ears. I looked at the piece of paper taped to the green bag. In my scribbled hand writing the note read:

Deliver to Video max

I grinned. Max was a good friend of my dad and I always enjoyed seeing him.

"Come on!" I called again, louder this time as I picked up my pace.

People starred at me as I went, but I paid no attention to them. Soon, I came to the video store. The familiar glow of the movies inside Video Max washed over me and I stepped inside. A bell rang above the door and I heard a dog bark. A big, white dog stood up next to the counter and raised his lip in a snarl.

"Thorn!" Max scolded. Winchester and Jesse raised their tails in domination, but I pushed them back with my foot.

"Guys! Come on, be civil!" I growled to my dogs.

I heard Max chuckle.

"Hello, Cassidy!" he said cheerfully.

"Hey, Max! I, uh, have your dog food that you ordered."

"Oh! Right! Here let me take that!" he said, reaching towards the bag.

"No! No! I've got it! Don't worry, Max," I said, smiling. He smiled back.

I turned to Thorn. "Hey buddy! Now you get to eat, huh?" Thorn barked happily.

"Where do you want it?"

"Back in the storage room. Here, let me get the door for you!" I nodded my thanks as he opened the door and walked back to the counter.

I sat the dog food down on a dusty table and looked around. Crates of movies were everywhere and I starred in admiration. I never got the chance to watch movies anymore. I never had any time what with the farm work and school. I felt something lick my hand. I looked down to see Jesse wagging her tail.

"Hey girl! How'd you get past Thorn, huh?" I scratched her behind the ears. She barked and I turned to walk out of the room. I saw Winchester and Thorn watching each other with vicious stares.

"They never have liked each other, have they?" Max asked.

"I could never remember a time that they did," I laughed. Jesse walked past Thorn and came to stand by Winchester. They were siblings, my dogs, and never went anywhere without each other.

"I haven't seen you in a while, Cassidy. Where have you been?" Max asked, concern obvious in his voice.

I used to see Max every week at least twice, but now that my mother had died, I rarely left the farm except to go to school. Yes, I know what you're thinking. Oh great, another story where the girl's depressed and has a bad past and her home life is horrible! Well, for one, I'm not depressed, I 'm a very happy and easily satisfied person. Two, I don't have a bad past. The only terrible thing that's ever happened to me was my mother dying. And three, my home life is probably better than anybody's at my school. My dad was a caring, loving dad and my brother was my best friend. We stuck together like glue and never fought, unless it was over the last piece of homemade pizza on Saturday nights.

"Ah, you know. School is getting harder and dad needs me around the farm now that Carter is gone more for college."

Carter was the luckier sibling. He got the privilege of going to college. See, my mom and dad had saved up enough money for one college fund and guess who got it? That's right, my overly athletic, and extremely talented brother. Me, I guess I would just stay on the farm until I could work up enough money to move out on my own. I had no chance at going to college unless I got a scholar ship and where I come from, those are rare things.

"Well, I would like to see you more often. It's always a pleasure to talk to you, Cassidy."

I smiled faintly. This is why I loved seeing Max. He always made me feel better when I was down.

"I'll try and borrow the truck more often, if I can."

"Good. I would like that. It gets pretty boring out here if you ask me," he smiled.

It was silent for a moment. Suddenly, out of the silence, a loud squeal erupted, blasting my ear drums.

"CASSIDY! OH MY GOD, GIRL! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"

I turned around to see one of my good friends, Maria. I jumped up and down and ran over to her.

"Maria!"

"Cassidy, you promised to come see me sooner!"

I had forgotten that she worked here at Video Max.

"I know! I'm sorry, it's just that-"

"I don't want to hear it! You're coming to hang out with me tonight!" she declared. I was always envious of Maria. She was beautiful with her mocha colored skin and chocolate brown eyes. Any guy would be lucky to have her.

"Cool! I'm here 'till 11!"

"Fantastic! Max, what time do I get off tonight?"

Max looked back and forth between me and Maria.

"How about now?" he said, grinning.

"Really?" she squealed again. He nodded.

"Why not? It's Friday night."

I knew the real reason was because of me. Max had a tendency to feel sympathy towards my situation. Sometimes it was good and other times it got annoying.

"Thanks," I whispered as Maria gathered the contents of her purse.

"No problem, Cassidy," he whispered back.

"Come on, let's go!" she cried excitedly. I swear I'd kill the person that thought it would be funny to give her an energy drink. Her blood was already spiked with enough adrenaline as it was.

I looked around for my dogs. "Jesse! Winchester! Let's go!"

But Winchester wouldn't budge an inch. Jesse began to growl and hid behind her brother. They were both watching something outside. Suddenly, the bell on the door rang and in walked four teenage boys. They were probably a few years older than me, most likely in their twenties and they wore biker attire. There were three blondes and one with dark hair. All of them were dressed differently than the next, but the one that caught my attention was the biker that was clad in all black. His blonde hair was spiked a little and his blue eyes were mischievous and entrancing. He was obviously the leader of the group and walked with an air of authority.

"I thought I told you not to come in here," Max said darkly. His eyes were angered, telling me that these boys had obviously been in here before and it hadn't been a fantastic visit.

My blonde boy just smirked and continued walking around the store. I suddenly became very nervous for some odd reason, and leaned towards Maria.

"Who are they?" I whispered.

"Oh, they come in here a lot just to annoy Max. I think they're all incredible cute, especially the blonde. She nodded towards blonde with long, straight hair.

"His name's Paul. And I _think_ that's Marko and that's Dwayne."

That was all fine and dandy, but I wanted to know _his_ name.

"What about him?" I asked, watching the blonde glance around the store with an uninterested expression on his face.

"Him? Oh, that's David. He's like, their leader or something. Mysterious, right?" I nodded. Something was different about him; something I was really attracted to.

Oh man, what was I saying? I hadn't even really _looked_ at a boy since freshman year!

Maria looked back and forth between me and him before realization finally hit her.

"Oh my god! You two would be SO cute together!" she whispered as quietly as she could. I elbowed her in the ribs.

"Shut up!"

Now Thorn, Winchester, and Jesse were all growling at the boys, their hackles raised dangerously. Winchester began to advance towards them, but I scolded him before he could move any farther.

"Winchester!" I snapped. He stepped back, ears flattened against his head. Jesse stared intently at me as if to say, "Why would you stop him?".

Because of my sudden outburst, David looked up. His eyes found my blue ones and held them. He stopped walking and I stopped breathing. He flashed me a crooked smile and my heart melted. I don't know how long I stood there, but it mustn't have been very long because Maria suddenly waved a hand in front of my face.

"Hello? Earth to Cassidy!" she called. I snapped out of my trance and painfully removed my eyes from David's.

"What?"

"You were starring."

My cheeks burned bright red and I cleared my throat.

"No, I wasn't," I said quietly.

"Yes, you-" I elbowed her again.

"Shh!"

I looked back to find David had walked closer. I blushed again and turned towards Maria.

"Hey, are you okay?"

I ran my fingers through my hair. "Yeah," I sighed.

"Cassidy?"

I turned to face Max.

"I hope to see you soon." I knew he wanted us the leave because of the boys.

I nodded. "Like-wise."

"Let's go, Maria."

We began to walk out of the store. I whistled to my dogs and they followed close behind, still growling. Maria opened the door and walked out.

"I'll see you later, Max," I said without looking at him. Instead, my eyes found _his_ blue ones again. He had a smirk on his face and continued to stare at me.

"Come on, Cassidy! Let's go! We don't have all night!"

"Coming!" And then I did the one thing I probably should have never done. I smiled my most genuine smile right at him and quickly walked out the door. Any girl knew the old trick of cat and mouse. I still have no idea what brought me to play this little game, but I did.

"Cass, did you see the way he looked at you?" Maria squealed excitedly once I was out the door.

I blushed and nodded.

"Oh my god! You have to talk to him!"

I looked up swiftly. "What! No! I-I can't!"

"Why not?" she whined.

"Because! I just… well…. he's not my type!" I said quickly, thinking of a lame excuse.

Maria stopped walking and faced me. "That's the _best_ you can come up with?"

I sighed. "Look, I'm only here 'till eleven, so where do you wanna go?"

She thought for a moment forgetting the four boys. "The carousel!"

"Why the carousel?"

"Why not?"

I shrugged. "Ok, the carousel it is."

**Ok, I think everybody knows what the carousel means…. Well, at least I hope…. If you've seen the movie you know…. Why would you be reading this if you haven't? Anyways, wow I ramble a lot….. so please R&R! It would make me sooo happy!**


	2. Chapter 2 Retaliation

**Ok, I know this chapter is short, but look on the bright side! TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY! A personal record! Yay! So please R&R!**

The carousel music rang in my ears and I couldn't help but feel like a little kid again.

I laughed as Maria mounted a black stallion and nearly fell off.

"It's harder than it look!" she cried out in embarrassment, struggling to keep on the horse.

I shook my head. "Sure, sure."

"It is!"

I laughed again and looked around for my own horse to ride. I saw a white horse a few feet away from Maria's that looked pretty cool, so I made my way towards it. I mounted it easily and looked back at Maria.

"See, it's not that hard!"

She stuck her tongue out at me and I did the same.

"You're such a child, May!"

"Ugh! _Don't_ call me that! You _know_ I hate that name!"

"I know! That's why I used it, duh!"

She grumbled angrily to herself and turned away from me. I turned my attention to the people in line to get on the carousel. Santa Carla had some pretty interesting characters if you ask me, but who am I to judge? I work on a farm, for chrissake!

"So, Cassidy, what do you want to do after this?"

"I don't know, maybe get something to eat?" I turned back around.

"Sounds-" She cut herself off for a moment.

"Hey, Cass?"

"Yeah?" I looked back at Maria to see her eyes wide and fearful.

"Maybe we should get off now," she whispered loud enough for me to hear.

"Why?" I asked, looking around us. Then, my eyes spotted the source of Maria's fear.

"Surf Nazis," I growled. I saw Maria's ex-boyfriend, Grant, in the group along with two others. They were headed straight for us. Maria and Grant had a really bad break up and Maria was always scared that Grant would come back for her.

"Good idea," I said. We were about to get off our horses to leave when suddenly they were upon us. I hadn't realized how close they actually were until now. Maria turned her head away fearfully when Grant approached her.

"Where've you been, May?" Grant asked harshly.

"Yeah, we've missed ya, girl!" laughed one of the other boys.

Maria didn't answer. "Don't ignore me, May!" Grant snarled.

"Leave her alone!" I shouted, dismounting my horse.

Their attention turned to me. Oh, god, what was I thinking? Let's be realistic here, I'm an eighteen year old girl. I can't take on three full grown men on my own! They'll crush me!

"Who's your friend, May?" Grant asked, strolling towards me.

"Cassidy," I hissed venomously.

"I like that name. It's hot," purred one of the boys.

"Congratulations, douche bag. Now if you'll be so kind to move," I growled darkly. These guys were starting to piss me off.

"Oh, I think we have a feisty one boys," Grant growled.

"Grant-" Maria began.

"Shut up, May."

Maria shut her mouth in fear, but I didn't blame her.

"Where're you from, honey?" one guy asked.

"None of your goddamn business!"

One guy reached out and touched my arm. I slapped his hand away.

"_Don't_ touch me, asshole!" I hissed.

The guy growled and grabbed my arm. I reacted quickly and nailed him in the stomach. He let go, winded.

"Christ!" he gasped.

"Get her!" Grant howled. He grabbed Maria and she screamed and kicked.

"LET ME GO!"

The other two grabbed my arms and waist and started to drag me towards the edge of the carousel. Everyone on the horses and in the crowd stared fearfully, not daring to help me or Maria. God, where was a fucking cop when you needed one?

"You assholes! Let me go!" I shouted angrily.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my nose and blood trickled down onto my lips. At the same exact time, the guy's hand came across my right eye and I clutched it painfully. What was their fucking problem?

In retaliation, I kicked out and my boot met one guy's nose. I heard it crunch and smiled in satisfaction.

"Take that, jackass!" I shouted.

"BITCH!" Grant roared and let go of Maria.

"Maria, RUN!" I screamed. Maria looked uncertain for a second and then took off running.

Grant turned towards me with a menacing scowl on his face.

"Oh, Cassidy, you've been a bad girl," he growled. Then, he landed a punch to my stomach and I doubled over. I gasped in pain, trying to find my breath. The boys laughed harshly. Why wasn't anyone helping me?

"Grant."

Suddenly, the boys stopped laughing and froze. I looked up slowly and saw the bikers from the video store! David was glaring at Grant and the other guys from David's gang were holding the two boys back.

"What do you want, David?" Grant snarled.

"Is this any way to treat a girl, Grant?" David growled, stepping forward. Grant took a few steps back and looked at me.

"It's _her_ fault, ask her! She brought it on to herself!" Grant protested.

"_My_ fault! You walked up to _me_!" I shouted from the ground. David smirked and the other boys snickered.

"I believe she speaks the truth, Grant. Maybe you should leave," he said dangerously. Grant took a look around and motioned for his friends.

"Come on, guys. I'll see you around, Cassidy," he said ominously.

"You'd never get that lucky, asshole!" I snarled. He glared at me before walking away with the village idiots following close behind.

I sat there on the ground for a few seconds, trying to regain the breath that had been knocked out of me.

"Are you okay?" I heard David ask. I looked up at him as he reached his hand out. I took it and he pulled me up so I could stand straight. I ran my fingers through my hair.

"I don't know, give me a minute." The other three boys started horsing around with each other, not really paying attention. David was.

I put my fingers to my nose and drew back with a hiss. Blood covered my fingers and dripped onto the floor.

"Damn. I think he broke my nose," I growled.

"Let me see." I felt David's gloved hand turn my face towards him and I blushed bright red. He was touching my face! My _face_! Isn't that a little too personal for the first in-person meeting? He inspected every inch of my face and soon his eyes met mine for what seemed like the hundredth time that night.

"It's not broken, but you're going to have a black eye in the morning. You should get some ice for it," he growled. He removed his hand and turned back towards his friends.

"Boys, I think it's time we head back." He turned towards me. "Care to join us?"

I looked at him in astonishment. _Me_ go with _him_?

"Um, n-no I can't. Sorry. I have to get back home and help my dad with-"

"It's Friday night. Besides, I overheard you talking to your friend. You're staying until 11, right?" He asked smugly. He had me trapped.

"Uh…." I changed the subject. "Did any of you see where she went?"

The boys looked up at me and shook their heads.

"Sorry, no," Marko said. _Wow_, his jacket was really colorful!

I turned back around to look at the people on the boardwalk. There was no sign of her anywhere. That worried me. I sure hope Grant didn't get her.

"So what do you say, Cassidy?" he asked.

"I, uh, I'm really sorry. I can't." Why the hell not! Ugh, I was _so_ pathetic when it came to guys.

He shrugged. "Too bad. Maybe next time."

He nodded at the boys and they stepped off the carousel and walked off into the crowd. David turned towards me.

"We'll see each other again, Cassidy. It was an interesting first meet." Then, he stepped off the carousel as well and disappeared into the crowd.


	3. Chapter 3 Would you like some honey?

**Yay! 3****rd**** chapter! I love this chapter and I sure hope you do to! Please R&R!**

I had looked all night for Maria, but she had totally disappeared. At first, I was worried, but then I figured that Maria had probably gone back to Max and then went home. So that's what I decided to do. I dug in my jean pocket, pulled out a quarter, and inserted it into a payphone. I dialed the home number and listened to it ring annoyingly in my ear.

Finally, someone picked up. "Hello?" Carter answered.

"Carter, it's Cassidy. Can you pick me up now?"

"Why? It's only nine. I thought you were going to hang out at the-"

"Will you just come get me?" I snapped.

"Alright, alright, take a chill pill, Cass."

"Sorry, I just…I need to come home now," I said quietly.

"What happened?" he asked, concerned suddenly.

"I'll tell you in the car, okay?"

"Okay. Uh, it'll take about half an hour, Cass."

"That's fine."

"Okay, be looking for me."

"Bye, Carter."

He hung up then and I felt like crying. I don't know why, I guess it was just the sound of his voice. Sometimes, I got really emotional when it came to family. My mom died, remember? Then I remembered something important.

Where the hell were my dogs?

I checked all around the boardwalk, calling their names over and over again. Finally, I found them near a hot dog stand begging for scraps.

"Are these your dogs, miss?" asked the guy who worked there. He seemed nice and had a smile on his face.

"Oh, yes sir. I'm sorry if they've bothered you at all tonight," I replied.

"Oh, not at all! I fed them a few pieces if that's okay?"

"Of course! Thank you!"

He nodded his head. "You're welcome, miss."

I whistled to my dogs and we made our way over to the benches by the parking lot.

I sat for a few more minutes, people watching, until Carter pulled up. I opened the back of the truck and the dogs jumped up into the bed. I opened the door and hopped in.

"So tell me what's goin' on," he demanded the minute I sat down. I wasn't going to try to hide my face from him like most Mary Sue's, I told my brother everything.

"Maria's ex gave us a little trouble. I got smacked around a bit, but I _did_ manage to break a guy's nose!" I tried to end with a positive note.

I timidly looked over and saw that Carter was glaring at the steering wheel, his dirty blonde hair peaking out underneath a John Deere hat. He looked up slowly, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Who was it?" he said slowly, looking directly at my injuries.

"Uh, I don't know his last name, but his first name's Grant."

"Grant Scoaly?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, maybe."

"I used to have calculus with that guy. He was a real ass."

"Tell me about it. His little bastards gave me a black eye and a bloodied nose," I growled.

"I can see. I'll get ya home and we'll get some ice for it."

I couldn't help but remember that's what David had said to me as well.

"_Ugh! Shut up, Cassidy! He's just a guy!"_ screamed the little angel on my left shoulder.

"_Yeah, a guy _that saved your life_! _And_ he's gorgeous! That's a bonus!" _snickered the little demon on my right shoulder.

If you don't know what that means, let me elaborate for you morons out there. It's my self-conscious arguing with itself.

"Yeah, ice would be great."

He pulled out of the lot then and drove home. The ride back was quiet and I stared out the window at the night stars. The moon was almost full tonight. Soon, we began to drive by the corn fields and I knew home wasn't too far away. We pulled up to a large plantation house that sat smack in the middle of a field. Surrounding it was, you guessed it! Corn fields. Yeah, my house was huge, but that's only because we inherited it. My family's lived on that farm probably since the dinosaurs roamed the freakin' Earth.

Carter stopped the car and got out. He opened my door then went around to the bed of the truck.

"Come on, rats, let's go," he growled, grabbing the dogs by their collars.

"They're not rats, Carter."

He grunted. Carter didn't like the dogs…at all. Not after they tore up his bedspread that our mother had quilted for him.

"Cass, call your dogs. They won't get out," he said, turning towards me.

"Winchester! Jess! Come on, get out!" I snapped my fingers and they jumped down from the bed.

"I don't know why they only obey you, Cass," Carter muttered, shaking his head.

"That's because I'm actually _nice_ to them, Carter," I laughed. He shrugged and we headed towards the wrap around front porch. Our farmhand, Ben, sat in one of the many rocking chairs, listening to old country on the radio.

"Evenin'," he drawled.

"Evenin', Ben," I said cheerfully. The breeze picked up a bit and the wind chimes hanging on the top railings made a lovely melody. Ben's old chocolate lab, Bernie, snored quietly next to the chair. My dogs padded up next to him and proceeded to sniff at his ears and behind.

"Dogs!" I scolded. Bernie was old and needed his rest.

"Oh, they ain't doin' no harm, ma'am," he said respectfully. Ben always called me ma'am. He was just a good old country boy, that's all.

"Still, Bernie needs his rest. Come on, dogs," I commanded and opened the screen door. The main door was already wide open.

"Dad, I'm home!" I called. I walked through the main entrance hallway and into the kitchen, my boots sounding loudly throughout the house.

"Dad?"

On our kitchen table sat crates of empty jars.

"Hey, what's dad gonna do with these?" I asked as Carter came inside.

"Oh, fill 'em with honey and sell 'em at the market tomorrow," he replied.

Then, Dad walked into the kitchen.

"Hey, Cass! Did you have a good time?" he asked.

"Yeah, uh, can I sell the honey with you tomorrow?" Before my mother died, we were always the one selling the honey, not Dad.

"Sure you-" he cut off when he looked at my face.

"What the hell happened?" he asked, looking angrily at Carter. My brother put his hands up in surrender.

"I didn't do anything! I wasn't even with her, remember?"

"Cass, what happened?" Dad demanded.

"Nothing, okay! Don't freak out! I just got in a tussle with some guys on the boardwalk."

"No, it's not _nothing_! Just look at your face, Cass!" Dad said angrily.

In truth, I was a little bit afraid to look in the mirror. I stalked over to the bathroom and wrenched the door open. I turned to face the reflective material and stopped dead in my tracks. Blood was smeared everywhere and still coming from my nose. My eye was puffy and beginning to form an ugly bruise.

"Great," I mumbled. I walked back into the kitchen and crossed my arms.

"Now, would you like to explain what the hell happened?" Dad asked.

"Like I said, it was just a tussle and not my fault, if I might add."

Dad sighed. "Cass, you agreed not to do this again. You broke a promise."

"Dad! It wasn't my fault! They came up to _me_!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"Positive!" Why didn't he believe me?

He nodded, his scruffy black hair getting in his eyes. "Okay, Cass."

Carter cleared his throat to break the tension. "So, uh, I'm going out tomorrow night with some friends, so I can't take you to the boardwalk, Cassidy."

"I'll ride with Dad," I muttered.

"Have you eaten?" Dad asked, changing the subject.

"I'm not hungry," I said stiffly and stalked up the stairs to my bedroom.

"I'll wake you up at eight, Cass," Dad called up the stairs.

"Whatever," I mumbled, slamming my door shut.

000

The sun was close to setting and we had sold more than half of the honey filled jars. The market was located directly in the middle of the boardwalk so it could be easily accessed by all the tourists and locals. It hadn't been too hot that day and all the honey sells had given me some extra money in my pocket. I decided to ask my dad if we could keep the stall open longer like the rest of the people. He agreed, but said that he had to go help a friend a few miles down the road. He left the stall to me. Of course, I was thrilled.

I watched the sunset and brought my water bottle to my lips. The liquid ran down my throat and quickly washed away all thirst that had been bothering me. I put the bottle back down and checked the honey supplies. Twenty left.

"_Not bad," _I thought to myself.

"Cassidy?" I heard a surprised voice in front of me. I looked up to see Maria.

"Maria!" She ran behind the stall and hugged me tight.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry for leaving you! I-"

"No worries, dude. You did what I told you! Did he ever find you again?"

She shook her head. "No, thank god! I thought you were going to get killed!"

I scoffed. "Me? Let's be realistic here!"

She laughed and hugged me again. "And just look at your eye!" she cried.

"Is it really that bad?"

She was silent for a moment. "The truth?" she asked.

"The truth," I answered.

"It looks like a two tons boulder smacked you on the face!" she blurted and I wacked her arm.

"You could have said it nicer!"

"You asked for the truth!" she protested.

I sighed. "Do you have a mirror on you? I haven't checked all day."

She dug around in her purse.

"Yeah, here."

She handed me a small makeup mirror.

"Thanks."

I opened the lid up and looked at my eye. It was the definition of badass if I may say so myself. Black and blue covered my whole eye and it was a little more swollen than the other.

"It makes me look awesome, don't lie," I laughed.

"You're right. It_ totally_ makes you look like a scraper!" she laughed, high fiving me. She walked around the stall again and looked around the boardwalk.

"So what do you want to do tonight?" she asked, looking back at me.

"I can't seriously believe you wanna go back out again after what happened last night!"

"Hey, forget the past and move on, right?"

I shrugged. "Maybe."

"When do you close up shop?"

"Let me at least make ten more sales, okay?"

"Ugh! Fine, but I'll be back for you at nine. If you're not finished by then, I'll personally drag you away!"

I saluted her. "Yes, ma'am!"

She laughed. "I'll see you later, Cass."

"Bye."

000

It was ten minutes until nine and I had sold eighteen jars of honey.

"_At least Maria won't have to drag me by my ear."_

I reached down and picked up the green and yellow striped bag I had brought with me and started to put the two remaining honey jars inside it. The amber colored liquid smelled delicious and made my mouth water. That reminded me, I hadn't eaten since that morning. I sighed. Food could wait. I began to close up stall when suddenly I heard my name being called.

"Cassidy!"

I looked up and my stomach did a back flip.

"_Grant."_

And he had more boys with him. I tried to ignore him, but he kept screaming my name while the boys around him made cat calls.

"Come over here!" One shouted.

"Yeah, we're not finished with you yet!"

"Come on sweetheart!"

I growled and again ignored them.

Then he said something that officially set me off.

"Are you as easy as Maria was?"

My face darkened a shade and my hands clenched into fists. Nobody talked about my friends that way! _Nobody!_

I quickly unzipped my bag and pulled out a honey jar. I unscrewed the cap and put on the sweetest smile I had. I walked over to him and he looked surprised.

"Hi! You're name's Grant right?" I asked sweetly.

"Yeah, that's it. Are you going to answer my question?" he asked rudely, touching my arm.

I laughed a high pitched laugh. "Well, I'll answer it with another one. Do you know what I was selling today?"

"Uh….no?"

I held up the jar. "Honey, wanna try some?"

Then, I reached my hand into the jar, pulled out a glob of honey and smeared it right across his face. I watched it drip on his clothes and licked one finger.

"Hmmm… not as good as I remember. Maybe because I touched your face with it. I guess it's tainted now," I said innocently.

He wiped his hand across his face and opened his mouth to same something, but I left. I walked back to the stall, locked it up and stalked away. Then, I remembered something. I turned back towards Grant.

"Oh and by the way, next time you talk about my friends like that, you'll get more than honey in your face, you son of a bitch."

Then, I turned around, laughing out loud, only to come face to face with the four biker boys from the previous night.

"This is an interesting second meet, Cassidy," David said, smirking as he looked at Grant and back to me.

Oh shit.

**Oh snap! Honey drama! Hey, hey what's up with Cassidy and her dad, hmm? Please R&R!**


	4. Chapter 4 Little Love

**Hey, dudes! Okay, so I've been thinking a lot about why David is so interested in Cassidy and decided to go a little bit deeper into it. So that's what this chapter's about! Haha I love keeping you guys in suspense! Oh, do any of you guys know what Stupid Fox is? If you do, I just ordered the new pins that came out! They're epic!**

**Gemma- First off, thanks for being the very first to review! I appreciate it! Yeah, I didn't want all the average clichés in my story! That would just be boring!**

**Emzy2K10- Thanks for the review! I'm really glad you like it! Yeah I think she's awesome too! **

**Hollywood Angel- Thanks so much for the review! I appreciate it tremendously! **

**Amya- haha I'm glad you like! Thanks for the review! :D**

**Ladywolf101- Thanks for calling me by my name and thanks for saying it was the best! That review made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!**

**Mel Richards- OMG! Thanks so much for reviewing! I love your story! It means a lot that you reviewed!**

**CarvedKid- Yes, I do love the reaction from the dogs! They won't ever really like the boys, haha I didn't really expect dogs to like vampires in the first place! :D I love Cassidy too! Lol Yeah I thought David would do something like that too! Haha that's why I wrote it! I soooo glad you like my story so much! Thanks!**

**ObSeSsIoN- You know, that's funny because it seems you're the only one who thinks that. Plus, not only was that comment insulting to me, but it was insulting to every story that's so called "Average" in your opinion. Everyone on Fanfiction tries their hardest to write a good story and for you to bash them, well, that's not very professional of you. Thanks for the "review" though. Any suggestions on how to **_**spice it up a bit?**_

**Sayuri-miko-dog-demon- Thanks for the review!**

**Mordecai Green- I'm so glad mine's the first one you read! I'm glad you think it's interesting! **

**Grey'sTrueBlood1228- OMG! Your review made me so epically happy inside! Thank you soooooooooo much!**

000

The night was just beginning on the boardwalk, but I had long ago parted ways with my brothers. On most nights we were all together, out causing trouble, but tonight we had split up. It was just one of those nights where you felt like being alone. These didn't come too often though, like I said, we were usually together.

I walked through the thick crowds of tourists and locals and watched them part like the Red Sea. I almost laughed at their frightened expressions. I assumed it was my appearance and reputation that kept people at bay. I searched for about half an hour for dinner, but nothing really appealed to me that night. I sighed, frustrated, and continued walking around.

Somehow, I ended up at a market in the middle of the boardwalk. I had heard about it before from tourists, but I had never been. Apparently, it sold every item from here to France.

Lots of people were swarming the stalls, trying on clothing, or tasting different types of food. Every kind of person was here and it honestly surprised me how crowded it was. I thought I might possibly find dinner here, so I stayed and hunted. All around me, people moved, almost as if the crowd was one giant, flowing music note. Nearby, a group of children were playing with a football in the midst of the market, screaming and laughing at each other. I watched them for a minute in disinterest before hearing one of the children speak up.

"Hey, Cassidy! Why don't you come and play with us?" The other children stopped and starred at "Cassidy" with disapproval.

I looked in the direction of the children's' gaze and saw her.

She was sitting there with a picture book in her hands and two Border collie puppies on either side of her. Her curly, blonde hair got in the way of her stunning blue eyes and she pushed it back with an annoyed sigh. She was about seven or eight and was wearing jeans, little grey converse, and a T-shirt that had the phrase _I bite_ written across it. How ironic.

She spoke then in a surprisingly high voice. "Uh…no thanks. I wanna finish this book."

The other children shrugged, obviously relieved that she wasn't playing with them and went back to their game. She looked back down at the picture book then and patted one of the puppies on the head. She was the most beautiful child I had ever seen, with her angelic features and quiet personality, and I could not understand why the other children disliked her so much.

"Cassidy, are you still reading that book?"

I saw a woman, most likely her mother; look over the edge of the stall. She had the same blonde hair as Cassidy, but her eyes were chocolate brown. She had a soft face and a kind voice that one could definitely get used to.

Cassidy looked up. "Yes, mama."

"You'll have to thank Daddy for buying it for you," her mother said gently.

Cassidy nodded and went back to reading. I heard her mother sigh as she saw the other children playing without her daughter.

What was so different from this child than the rest? Why was she being rejected?

Cassidy continued reading her book, every now and then looking up to watch the other children play. Her gaze was filled with longing, but she didn't approach them to ask if she could join their game.

The other children pretended like she wasn't there and tossed the football back and forth. One kid threw it too far and it landed by my feet. Two boys, about eight or nine, came running up to me, but I grabbed the ball before they could get their hands on it.

"Hey, that's our ball!"

"Yeah, give it back!"

"I'll give it back if you answer a question," I replied.

The two boys looked at each other with confused expressions.

"What do you wanna know?"

"Why isn't _she_ playing with you?" I motioned towards Cassidy.

The younger of the two snorted. "We don't play with cripples."

"Yeah, she'll just ruin the game."

The older one laughed and held his hands out for the ball. I gave it back to them, scowling and looked at Cassidy again. Nothing seemed to be wrong with her, from what I could see. The boys scampered off to play again and snickered as they ran by Cassidy.

She looked up then, finished with her book, and watched the children play. One of the puppies climbed in her lap and she stroked its head tenderly.

"Cass, I'm going to help out Mrs. Kymberly, okay? I'll be back in half an hour! Will you be alright by yourself?"

"Yes, mama," she answered, not looking up.

This was it. This was my chance to speak to her, to see if there was actually anything wrong with her.

Wait, what the hell was I thinking? She was a kid for god sakes! I couldn't just walk up to her and start talking!

"_Have you heard of the new thing? It's called stranger danger, you idiot!"_ I thought to myself. And why was I even interested in talking to a kid? I was a hundred year old vampire! I didn't even _like_ kids!

So I stood there instead, watching her watch the others. She was an oddity indeed. She observed how they played, how they talked, how they moved. I could see her process all the new information and store it away safely in the back of her mind. I probably stood there for a good ten minutes before the other children stopped playing football and ran off somewhere else. She watched them go, but did not make a move to go with them. I felt a tug at my heart, but quickly brushed it away.

"_She's just a kid,"_ I told myself.

Then, suddenly, she turned around to look at me. Her eyes looked straight into mine and I was held there, stunned. Her gaze was intense and full of emotion that no eight year old should have.

"If you're going to watch me, why don't you just come over here and talk?" she asked in a high voice. I was surprised, if not amazed. How could she have known I was watching her? She motioned to me with her hands, instructing me to come closer.

I waited for a minute, unsure, and then walked forward until I stood above her. She looked up at me then, with the bluest eyes I had ever seen. They were even more stunning up close.

"I wasn't watching you, you know," I said calmly, taking a cigarette from my coat pocket out of habit.

She nodded. "Yes, you were. I saw you standing over there." She pointed in the direction where I had previously been standing.

"Those things will kill you, mister," she said, looking at the cigarette in my hand. I shrugged.

"Oh well," I growled bluntly. How many times had I heard that one before?

"Why were you watching me?"

"I wasn't. Why would I watch you?" I bit back quickly.

"I don't know. That's why I'm asking you."

"_Yeah, definitely a smart ass,"_ I thought.

"How come you weren't playing with the others?" I asked. She looked away then and sighed.

"They don't like me very much," she whispered.

"Why?" I asked, pretending not to be very interested.

She shrugged. "I have a limp."

I raised one eyebrow. "A limp?"

"Yeah, you know a limp."

"Oh."

Awkward….

It was silent except for the constant growling coming from her puppies. I bent down and patted one on the head, smirking as it shrunk away from me.

"You've got beautiful dogs."

Her face lit up then and she nodded fiercely.

"Thank you! This is Winchester and this is Jesse," she said excitedly, introducing her two dogs.

"I'm Cassidy, by the way," she said, holding out her tiny hand. I shook it, mine practically swallowing hers.

"David," I replied, while lighting my cigarette.

"That's a cool name. I don't like mine, though. It sounds too much like a farm girl."

"You should. It's a pretty name."

She smiled a toothy grin and a blush formed around her cheeks, staining them a pale pink. The color was brilliant on her slightly tanned skin.

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome."

It was silent and she looked away then.

"Why were you watching me?" she asked again. She turned to face me, her blue eyes searching mine.

"Do you wanna hurt me?" she asked bluntly. I nearly winced. How could anyone want to hurt her?

"Of course not. I don't know why you'd think that," I growled, standing back up.

"My mama says not to trust strangers."

"Well, you know my name, so I'm not technically a stranger," I said, taking a long drag from my cigarette.

She smiled again. "That's what I was hoping you'd say."

I figured out then that she was far more intelligent than any child I'd ever met. She was quick and witty with her responses and something told me that she could certainly take care of herself.

"I see you around a lot, you know."

I looked back at her, surprised again. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. People are scared of you."

I took another drag from my cigarette, not responding.

"I don't know why though. You're not that scary. I think you're pretty nice."

I snorted. Nice? Yeah right.

"Whatever you say."

She looked embarrassed then and I felt a little bad for saying that. She was only trying to be nice. I tried to take the conversation elsewhere.

"What are you reading?" I asked, looking at the picture book next to her.

"Winnie the Pooh," she replied, embarrassed again, her cheeks turning bright red.

"I like that book," I said, trying to reassure her.

She grinned. "Really?"

"Sure."

"I know it's a little kids book, but I like Winnie the Pooh. He's funny," she smiled.

She was still a little kid herself. "How old are you, again?"

"I never said I was anything. But, I'm eight."

I smirked. "How old are _you_?" she asked.

I stopped everything for a minute. What could I tell her, that I was _one hundred_ years old?

"I'm twenty," I lied.

Suddenly, she started counting on her fingers. I could hear her whispering the numbers as quietly as she could.

"What are you doing?"

She looked up, embarrassed again. "Oh, just counting…."

"Counting what?"

Her whole face turned blood red. "Counting to see how many years it'll be 'till _I'm_ twenty."

I wanted to laugh then.

"_She likes me. Cute,"_ I thought.

Jesus, what was I doing? She's eight! _Eight!_ Still just a kid!

"Do you have any brothers?" she asked then, breaking me away from my thoughts.

"Three."

"I have one. Do you like you're brothers, David?"

It felt so strange to hear her say my name in that high voice of hers.

"Of course. Do you like your brother?"

She nodded. "He's my best friend. Well, he's my only friend."

Guilt burned in the pit of my stomach. What was wrong with kids? Cassidy was perfectly fine in my standards.

"I'll tell you a secret," I said quietly, bending down to her level again.

She leaned forward, eager to hear what I had to say.

"I don't have that many friends either. It's just me and my brothers," I whispered in her ear. I don't know why I felt like making her feel better; I guess I just felt a little sorry for her.

She reached up to whisper in my ear now. "Would you like to be my friend?" she whispered, smiling.

"Sure," I whispered back.

"Well, then let's start this all over again!" she declared.

She stood up then, on shaky legs and put her hands on her tiny hips.

"I'm Cassidy Angela Reeves and I live on a farm with my mama, daddy, and brother. I have two dogs named Winchester and Jesse that I just got for my birthday and my favorite color is purple!" she said quickly, finally taking a breath at the end.

I laughed slightly at her presentation. It was cute.

"I'm David, and I live with my three brothers, Paul, Dwayne, and Marko and I my favorite color is black."

No surprise there.

"Cool! You don't live with your parents?"

"Nope."

"That sounds like fun! What do you guys do?"

I shrugged. "Just…stuff."

"I play with my dogs a lot. I won't be working the farm until I'm ten. Daddy told me that."

"Daddy also told me I have to clean up my toys," she mumbled to herself. She bent down and grabbed the Winnie the Pooh book. I now saw what she meant by "limp". When she walked, one leg was slightly shorter than the other, causing her to…well, limp. She noticed me starring.

"My doctor says I'll grow out of it when I get older. I sure hope he's right," she sighed.

"You'll be fine," I said sternly.

She looked sad for a moment and looked down at the ground.

"It's the reason why no one wants to play with me," she whispered. I brought my hand under her chin and tilted it up so I could look at her.

"You'll be fine," I said again. She smiled and pulled away, placing the book on the stall counter.

I suddenly remembered that her mother would be back soon.

"When will your mother be back?"

She looked at me with a confused expression. "She said half an hour, but she'll probably be gone for longer than that."

Ideas were running through my head like crazy. I could take her now, and no one would even know she was gone until it was too late! She could stay with me and grow up with me and the boys and….

"_What am I thinking? Christ, she's just a kid!"_ What the hell what going on with me?

"What's wrong?" she asked.

I shook my head. "I have to go."

"W-why!"

"I'm sorry." I stood up then and began to walk away. She grabbed my hand and turned me to look at her.

"Will I see you again, David?" she asked, her eyes pleading.

"I don't know." Then I was gone.

000

Max sat starring at me for a long time before he spoke.

"I know the girl's father and I'm glad you didn't take her now. He would have been heartbroken and I don't like seeing my friends that way."

"But what am I going to do? What happened back there?" I asked, pacing around worriedly.

"Have a seat, David." I continued pacing.

He sighed and thought for a moment. "You've found the one you're meant to be with," he said proudly.

"What?"

"Cassidy, she's your destined mate. That's why you were attracted to her."

"But don't you find that a bit…disturbing? She's eight for chrissake" I growled.

"Not at all, David. In the vampiric world, love as no boundaries. She felt it too, you know. I can tell from your memories."

I stopped pacing then. "You haven't answered my question. What am I going to do?"

"The only thing you can do. Wait."

I didn't like the sound of this. "Wait?"

He nodded. "Wait until the girl's eighteen. She'll be moving out then and you can take her and no one will notice. It'll be perfect timing."

"But, will she remember me?"

"Most likely, no. You'll have to meet all over again. You can't run the risk of her finding out what we are until the time is right. You must avoid contact at all costs."

I ran a hand through my hair. Ten years. Could I wait that long? I knew I would have to if I ever wanted to see her again.

And so I did wait, year after year, watching her as she came and went. She grew more and more beautiful every time I saw her and I grew more and more infatuated with her. You could call it obsession, but I wasn't a stalker. I was only waiting for the day to come that I could finally approach her again.

When that day came in the video store, I felt as if nothing else mattered. It was just me and her. When we locked eyes, I was certain she would remember me, but she showed no signs of knowing who I was. I felt a tinge of sadness then and I hoped that she was still the same little child I had fallen in love with all those years ago.


	5. Chapter 5 Observation and Desertion

**Ok, this chapter is mainly filler. Sorry. But the next chapter will be more interesting! I'm going on vaca so I wouldn't be able to update for a few days! Enjoy!**

I was trapped, lost in his blue gaze, unable to pull away. My breathing ceased and my heart sped up to an incredible rate. How much of that had he seen?

"Uh…" I cleared my throat, "well, this is embarrassing….."

Paul started cracking up then as did Marko.

"Girl, that was the _funniest_ thing I've seen in a _long_ time!" he laughed, holding his side.

"I'm glad to be of entertainment to you," I growled. They both held their hands out in surrender.

"Chill out, girl! We were only kidding!" Marko said, laughing.

I grinned. "So am I."

We all started laughing then. They were a funny bunch and I felt I could be easy going around _them_. Other people…not so much.

David didn't say anything, but pulled a cigarette out of his coat pocket. He gave some to his friends and then offered me one.

I was about to reject it, but then thought otherwise.

"_You already said no to hanging out last night. Don't be rude,"_ I thought.

"Sure," I said, taking one. He lit it for me and I inhaled the smoke. I had a cigarette every once in awhile with Ben, our farmhand, but it wasn't a habit. My heart calmed down a bit and I evened out my breathing.

I didn't look at him, afraid that I might be held in his eyes again. There was just something terrifying at that thought.

"Cassidy!" I heard someone calling my name again.

I turned around and smiled.

"Hey, Maria!" I waved her over. She looked a little anxious at the sight of the boys, but quickly brushed it off.

"Did you see Grant? He had some gross shit all over his face!" she giggled.

I laughed and raised my hand up. "Guilty!"

She gasped in mock surprise. "Why, Cassidy! How unladylike! What would your father say?" she said.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I wouldn't be listening."

She laughed then and I smiled. Suddenly, I saw her look up and blush. I snuck at peak to my left and saw that Paul was grinning at her.

"_How cute,"_ I thought.

"You smoke?" she asked, looking back at me.

I shrugged. "Sometimes."

"Oh."

It was silent again. I tried not to look over at him, but I couldn't help myself.

"_Is he as nervous as I am?"_

He was starring out at the crowd, inhaling and exhaling smoke, watching the people walk by. There was something strange about the way he watched him. I could only explain it by comparing the stare to that of my dog, Winchester, when he's out hunting rabbits in the crops.

_Hunting._

The word whispered in my mind and gave me chills.

_Watching._

Another word resonated through my head, yet this one seemed quite familiar.

No, surely he was not. My first impression of David had been one of a guy with a lot of power and control, maybe even dangerous, but not a psycho maniac killer that "watched" his victims. I shook my head.

"_What are you thinking? You always do this, you retard! Don't mess things up with another guy!"_

Just for the record, every time a meet a boy, I basically psychoanalyze them. The habit annoys the _hell_ out of me, but I can't help it. It's just a tick I have, almost like biting your nails, but a little more….serious.

Maria elbowed me and I starred at her, confused.

"What'd you do that for?"

"You were starring again," she whispered in my ear.

I sent her a death glare and she shut up. She could be so stupid sometimes!

After a few moments, Maria cleared her throat.

"So, uh, there's this concert going on tonight. Maybe you guys wanna go?"

Okay, I take back everything I said about Maria! Thank God for her!

"Sounds like fun!" Paul laughed, slinging an arm around her shoulder. She smiled, clearly enjoying the attention. They began to walk towards the direction of the concert.

"I'm in," Marko said, following Maria and Paul.

Dwayne simply nodded and followed as well.

That left me and David. Gulp.

I tried to seem calm about being alone with him, but it wasn't working out very well to say the least. I was tapping my foot nervously and he noticed.

"Do you want to go or would you rather stand here all night?" he asked calmly, putting out his cigarette with the toe of his boot.

"Oh, I, uh, yeah let's go," I said, flustered and embarrassed as hell. What was it about him that made me so nervous?

We walked after our friends in silence, but that didn't help my nervousness, it only increased my heart beat. People were literally jumping out of the way in order to avoid us and I laughed. Did they always get this reaction?

I saw Marko, Paul, and Maria were having a conversation and Dwayne was walking silently along. The only thing that made noise were the necklaces and chains hanging from his neck. One necklace in particular interested me. It was a string of animal teeth, most likely from a big cat or a wolf. They jingled around his neck and made him look very primitive and dangerous. I began to make up stories in my head of how he obtained those rare fangs.

"_Maybe he hunted the animals and stole them right from their very mouths!"_

"_Or maybe he made friends with the animals and they granted him the gift of their fangs!"_

Where the hell was all this coming from? I guess I just had an overactive imagination. I'm sure he bought them at one of those stalls that sell Native American jewelry and clothing.

I realized then that each one of these boys had a very different personality. Not something you would expect in a gang, right?

Paul was the joker, the one that honestly didn't give a shit what anyone thought about him. He did what he wanted and never thought twice about it.

Marko was the sweet one that had a surprisingly scary streak in him. I had seen the way he watched the crowds, just as David had. He seemed innocent, charming, and downright adorable, but I knew better than to trust him right away. It was always the nice ones that you had to look out for. His angelic features were his weapon and he used them like a pro. I noticed the way girls were drawn to him, just like a deer to a salt lick.

Dwayne was the silent observer. He didn't talk much, but I could tell he was the thinker. He was a trouble maker none the less, but not as dangerous as the others. In a way, he was the nicest, but there was still something about him that I was cautious of.

And then there was David. He was captivating, mysterious, and confident. He was in control of everything and as far as I could tell, the boardwalk was his for the taking. He owned the people because of one simple thing. Fear. He created it, enforced it, and took pleasure in it. He was certainly a frightening individual, but there was just something I was attracted to. I guess it was the whole, _He's dangerous_, thing going on that made me so drawn to him.

So I drew my attention back to David. He had advanced to the head of the group, leaving me in the back. Without realizing it, I picked up my pace until I was walking directly beside him. I most certainly did not want to be in the back where I could be picked off like dead meat, _especially_ after what happened with Grant. Even though I didn't think anyone would try and take me when I was with David.

We walked side by side, the sounds of our footsteps combined into one harmonious note and it comforted me. I liked the idea of being in tune with something of his. It made me feel safe, protected, and accepted.

Suddenly, I felt a cool breath in my ear.

"You know, it's rude to stare."

I hadn't even realized that I was!

"_Shit. Busted,"_ I thought. My cheeks burned bright red and he looked satisfied with my reaction.

"Though in some cases, I'm willing to make an exception," he said smugly.

I laughed nervously and ran a hand through my mess of curly hair.

We kept walking then, until we reached the concert. We found a place among the crowd…well they sort of parted for us. The music held an electrifying air to the surrounding atmosphere and I couldn't help but sway along with it. I _did_ like this song, but I couldn't remember what it was called, unfortunately. The song picked up a bit and Maria was swaying as well while talking to Marko, Paul, _and_ Dwayne.

Ah Maria, my little social butterfly.

Instantly, I could feel his eyes watching me. It made me extremely self conscious and I stopped swaying. There was no way I was going to embarrass myself in front of him.

"What did you stop?" he asked curiously.

I turned around to face him. And there it was again, the reaction that I always got. My breathing became labored and I couldn't look away. His eyes were just too entrancing. They danced with mischief and danger, something I ultimately I decided I was attracted to the most.

"I didn't want to dance anymore," I dismissed the thought casually.

He didn't respond, but pulled out another cigarette and lit one. He didn't offer me one; I think he could tell I didn't want to smoke again tonight.

"I, uh, I never got to thank you for saving me last night."

His eyes betrayed his surprise, though his demeanor was calm and confident.

He shrugged. "I know the guy. We don't get along."

"Oh."

Disappointment burned inside of me. I guess I was expecting him to say that it was _his pleasure_ to save me like most any guy would. But then again, David wasn't just _any_ guy. I figured that out from the start.

We all eventually made our way near the railings. Maria stood near Paul and I sat on the rails. Marko and Dwayne were talking about something I couldn't hear and David was standing the farthest away.

"_He's doing it again,"_ I thought.

_Watching._

He was indeed watching the crowd again, analyzing each and every face that his eyes came across.

"_But why?"_

It frightened me how intense his gaze was and I began to get very curious as to what he was thinking.

I shook it off. That was _never_ going to happen.

"_Just leave it."_

Another hour passed just like that and I can honestly say I was enjoying myself. David and I didn't speak anymore during that time, but that was fine with me. I did manage to peak a few flirty glances at him to find that he was also starring. Unlike most guys, he didn't look away, so I was forced to. Something about this guy completely went against the rules of flirting. It was like he was rewriting and making new rules, _his_ rules.

"_How can you even be sure he was flirting in the first place?"_

I couldn't and that suddenly depressed me. What if he didn't like me? What if he thought I was just a liability that he kept around because I owed him something for saving me?

"_Man, I have _got_ to stop doing this to myself."_

I've got to get out of here for a few minutes.

"Hey Maria, I'm going to get something to drink. Do you want anything?"

"Oh, no I'm fine. Thanks anyways, Cass!"

I nodded my head and walked past the boys, trying not to bump into David. I shoved through the crowd, occasionally getting bumped or pushed. Eventually I made it to the snack bar and ordered a coke. There was a mirror there and I checked myself.

"Ugh. Wow, I look like shit."

"No you don't!"

I turned around to see Carter and a group of his college friends all laughing and dancing to the music. They were a mixed group, some were into music, some were artists, and others were football stars or farmers like my brother.

"Yeah, the eye makes you look cool, Cass," Sam, one of the friends, said kindly.

"Thanks."

Sam had a crush on me, but since I wasn't interested, he never pushed our friendship. I'll admit, he was an attractive guy with his dirty blonde hair and brown eyes, but we were nothing more than friends.

"So what're you doin', Cass?"

I shrugged. "Just hangin' out."

"With who?" asked Jeremy, another of Carter's friends.

"Maria and some….new guys."

Sam and Carter stirred irritably.

"New guys?"

"Yeah, well I mean, they're not new, they're locals…..um, I meant they're new to me….."

God, did I always get this nervous when I thought about _him?_

Carter laughed. "Chill out, Cass. It's great you've got new friends, thought I'm not particularly happy they're guys…." he muttered the last part.

Sam remained silent.

Jeremy came up beside me and slapped my shoulder.

"Alright, Cass! Getting you some new_ boyfriends_?"

Carter scowled, but I laughed. That was Jeremy for you!

"Unfortunately, no, Jeremy. I don't think that'll happen for a long time."

"Ah don't worry, Cass! You're a great kid! I'm sure you'll seduce a few cub scouts!"

"Alright, that's enough, Jeremy!" Carter barked.

"Sorry," he muttered.

I laughed and punch him lightly on the arm.

"You don't change, do ya, Jer?"

"Me? Never."

Carter glanced down at his watch.

"Boys, it's time we go. We'll see ya later, Cass!"

I waved at them as they walked away and into the dancing crowd.

"See ya!"

I took a sip of my coke and made my way back to the railings. A new song was playing, a slow, beautiful song that I immediately loved. Lots of people were slow dancing and my heart sped up. What would happen when I got back?

"_Don't be silly, you idiot."_

But when I did get back, I discovered something very surprising.

They were gone.

**Please R&R! It would make me soooo happy!**


	6. Chapter 6 The Necklace

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own the Lost Boys, but if I did…. Never mind, it's too graphic to describe….**

**Sorry for uploading it twice. There was a typo! I'm back! Okay, LONGEST CHAPTER EVER! YAY! I love this chapter soooo much! Especially the end! I hope you guys enjoy! I appreciate all the reviews you guys left me on my last chapter! They made my day when I got back from vacation! ENJOY PEEPS!**

"Oh, _hell_ no!"

I looked around in disbelief.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me!"

They just left me here! Were they serious?

And Maria! What was she thinking when she left? Did she even _feel_ bad about leaving me? What was I supposed to do now?

I sighed. "Well this is just super."

Yeah, I was right, he didn't like me. If he did, he wouldn't have left. I guess he had just gotten bored with me. I looked around the crowd just in case they had moved a little ways away, but I found no trace of them. They had completely disappeared.

I guess I would have to find Dad, _if_ he was still here.

"Let's hope," I muttered.

I tried walking through the crowd, but managed to end up at the complete opposite end of the boardwalk that I was aiming for. The swaying crowd had pushed me in the wrong direction and now I had no idea where the hell I was.

"This is just great…"

I walked in the general direction of the crowded areas and tried to look for anyone that knew their way around. Unfortunately, no one looked safe enough to ask, so I was stuck wondering around. I looked at all the shops as I passed them. A clothes store, a tattoo shop, a jewelry store.

"Hello, what's this?" I asked, back tracking to look at a certain necklace in the display cases inside the window. It was a string of leather made tight to be a choker with a single sterling silver tear drop hanging from it. It was absolutely breathtaking. The simplicity was what made it more beautiful than any piece of jewelry I had ever seen. I was drawn to it and so I made my way inside. The sign above the door said _Art by Holly._

"_Interesting,"_ I thought.

The bell on the door rang, but everything inside the store was still. All kinds of odd jewelry was inside including sea shell necklaces, animal bone earrings, anklets made up of colorful stones or crystal fragments, basically any kind of quirky jewelry you could think of. The air smelled like incents and the lights were turned down low. A slow tribal drum beat sounded from the back of the store, most likely a recording or the radio. It was a very earthy store and had exotic plants growing everywhere.

I made my way over to the necklace that had caught my eye in the window. It was even more breathtaking up close.

"Find something you like?"

I jumped and spun around to face what looked like the owner of the store. She wore a long, purple gypsy skirt and white tank top that reached her ribs. A beaded belly button ring hung down from her naval with a tiny feather attached. Tons of bangles adorned her wrists and multiple anklets hung down on her ankles. She wore no shoes, instead sported bare feet with toenails painted with purple nail polish. She had long, straight black hair with beads braided into it that reached her waist and big green eyes flecked with brown that were dancing with excitement and happiness. She had a perfect face, still with a little baby fat not willing to let go. It gave her the appearance of being younger than she probably was. She was somewhat tanned and had a bright smile that transformed into a dimple on the left side of her pink stained cheek. Necklaces rattled across her smooth chest and two bear tooth earrings hung down from both sides of her head. She wore no makeup and she smelled like sandalwood.

"Uh, no I'm just looking," I replied, smiling.

Her gorgeous eyes flickered to the necklace I had been looking at.

"That's my favorite."

"What?"

"That necklace, it's my favorite. It's called _The Loner_. There's a description that goes with it. I'm Holly, by the way."

I held out my hand and she shook it gently, her bracelets jingling.

"Cassidy."

She smiled. "You emit a very good vibe, Cassidy. It's already rubbed off on me some."

I raised one eyebrow.

"It's a compliment."

"Oh, thanks."

"So, you make the jewelry?" I asked.

She nodded. "Oh, yes! I hand make every piece!"

I looked around the store in astonishment.

"_Hand make_?"

"Yes. It's my favorite hobby."

"Hobby? More like a profession!"

She grinned. "Thanks!"

"How long does it take you to make something like this?" I pointed to one of the more eccentric necklaces.

"Oh, maybe two days, four tops."

"Wow," I breathed in admiration.

She looked around the shop.

"I work here after I've finished my studies and on weekends."

"Oh, what school do you go to? I'm a senior at SCH."

She shook her head. "I don't. I'm homeschooled, but if I was at school I'd be a junior. My parents believe that someone as _special _as me shouldn't be around other kids," she said sarcastically.

"Someone as special as you?"

"Yeah, it's kind of hard to explain."

"Try me," I suggested.

Her eyes sparkled. "You're different. No one ever wants to hear about it," she said while taking a necklace down from one of the wooden manikins. It was a beaded necklace with a claw hanging down from it.

She held it up to me and stroked the claw with her thumb.

"This is a hawk's claw. I bought it from a man who I met while hiking in the woods behind my house. He had a string of them on his belt. I asked him if he hunted hawks, but he said no, he just found a lot of claws near their nests. I only met that man once, but because I bought a claw from him, I felt like I knew him just like an old friend. I can read vibes off of people, or objects, like this hawk claw. Just from focusing in on the energy in the claw, I could tell he was a rogue, a social outcast in society that had a kind heart and a generous nature. I knew I could trust him if I found him again. Vibes are very important to me. They help me stay out of trouble and also to make new friends when my parents aren't smothering me."

"That's amazing! You can _seriously_ read vibes?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"So what's my vibe?" I asked excitedly. I thought I had been in a bad part of town, but look what I stumbled upon!

She smiled. "You're the kind of person who is easily satisfied when it comes to the simple things. You have that fiery hot Irish temper when someone gets you upset, but can easily cool down. You're a thinker, I can tell, and you never do something without going over it first. You're very smart, but not very open. You like to keep to yourself unless you're with a close friend. Something happened to you when you were little, but I'm not sure what."

I instantly felt myself draw back.

"Yeah, that's pretty cool," I said in a reserved voice.

She looked alarmed. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean anything! If I offended you, I am so sorry!"

I shook my head. "No, it's fine. You didn't know."

She touched my arm gently. "Really! I am sorry! See, this is what happens when you're not around other people a lot. Sometimes I forget my manners!"

"Really, it's okay."

"No, it's not. I've offended you deeply, I can tell."

"Seriously, Holly, it's fine. I'm not kidding, you didn't know."

She looked at me for a long time then breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good, because last time I told someone their vibe they weren't very happy and told my parents what I said."

I tried not to smile. "And how did that go?"

"Ugh, they wouldn't let me make jewelry for a week!"

I snorted. "My dad would have made me clean the pig sty as punishment."

She laughed. "You live on a farm?"

I nodded.

"That's so cool! I would love to live on a farm! So close to nature and all the animals!"

I shook my head. "Trust me, you don't won't to live there! I should honestly be getting paid for all the crap I do around the house, but my payment is getting to eat and sleep in my dad's house."

"Wow, seriously? No payment?"

"Nope. Well, I do get an allowance, but it's not that much."

"I don't get an allowance. Half the money I get from the store my parents take and the other half I get."

"That's better than what I get. But, seriously, you've got a really cool store here!"

She smiled big. "Thank you! It's supposed to be a direct reflection on me and my sister's personalities! She used to run the store with me, but she moved back to New Orleans. She only comes back on holidays and sometimes for summer."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "No, it's fine."

"What's she like?"

"Oh, a lot like me, just braver, you know? Typical older sister type. She's into all the gypsy stuff like me and she likes being outside a lot. We're both into anything Earthy, obviously," she said, looking around the store.

"That's cool. What's her name?"

"Star."

"That's an awesome name! I have a brother named Carter, but he's just a big dork," I joked.

She laughed. "What's he like?"

I shrugged. "He's a pretty funny guy, except for when he gets mad. He's got a horrible temper like my dad. We used to fool around a lot just to annoy him, but we stopped when… when…"

I stopped talking then and cleared my throat. "Um, when my mom died."

Her face looked pained. "Oh, Cassidy, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, honestly. Anyways, he's a big help around the farm when he's _not_ at college. He's pretty focused on school though, and doesn't seem to have a lot of time for me anymore."

"That happened to me with my sister, too. She sorta just got bored with me and gave up trying to relate. It was the worst year of my life. Then she moved out."

"Sorry."

"_At least Carter didn't move out,"_ I thought.

She shrugged. "So, did you want the necklace?" she asked, looking back at what she called _The Loner_.

I ran my fingers through my hair and coughed. "I can't afford it."

"You don't even know the price…"

"Right well, how much?"

"Twenty-five."

My face turned bright red. "I'm sorry, Holly. I honestly can't afford that."

I could feel the money from the honey sells in my jean pocket, but I couldn't use it.

"_It's for all of us,"_ I thought sternly.

She looked a little sad, but immediately smiled again. "That's okay, Cassidy! Maybe some other day?"

I nodded my head. "When I get more money, for sure! It really is a beautiful necklace," I complimented.

She looked long and hard at me. "You deserve it."

I looked at her strangely. "Uh, what?"

"You deserve it. Your vibes tell me everything and I know you deserve that necklace, Cassidy. You work hard, harder than most eighteen year olds I see come through here."

"Oh, uh, thank you…"

She reached for the necklace and took it off the bust. She held it out to me.

"Here," she said proudly.

"No, no, no, no, no! I can't take this, Holly! Please don't do that!"

"No, I _want_ to give it to you!"

"No. You need to make sales and I don't need charity. Wait until I can actually pay for this," I said sternly, pushing her hand away.

She looked down at the necklace and blushed. "I'm sorry. I told you, I don't have very good manners," she mumbled.

I sighed. "It's fine."

She put the necklace back and walked over to the counter to arrange what looked like lucky stones. She looked crestfallen and I couldn't help but feel that is was my fault.

"Look, do you wanna hang out sometime?" I asked suddenly.

She looked up, surprised. "Me? You want to hang out with _me_?"

_I might end up regretting this._ "Totally! When are you free?"

She quickly looked through a nature themed calendar and checked her dates.

"I'm free on Friday of next week!" she said excitedly, turning back around.

"Cool. So do you want to meet up someplace?"

I swear, she looked like she could literally bounce off the walls she was so excited.

"Sure! I know this awesome comic book store and it's easy to find!"

I inwardly groaned. _Comic books?_ "What's it called?"

"Frog Comics."

I nodded. "Okay, Friday at, let's say, nine. Is that okay?"

"Definitely!"

000

_Monday_

"Dismissed! Seniors, stay behind, please. It will only take a second!" Principle Grady announced loudly into the microphone. I groaned and watched the lower classmen leave the gym for first period.

"Okay, was that like the worst assembly or what?" Shannan whispered in my ear.

"I guess."

Shannan wasn't that bad of a person, but she did have a tendency to gossip.

"What do you think we have to stay behind for?" Molly asked.

Now, I hated Molly, but she thought I absolutely adored her, which obviously was a lie.

"They'll probably tell us to stop smoking in the bathroom again, or some shit like that. Honestly, do they think we actually listen to them?" Deana growled.

Deana was probably the only person that I liked in this school, but she had her moments just like every other brat or popular scum at this high school. No, I didn't hang with popular crowd, they came to me. I preferred the outcasts, but you could never really get them to say anything to you. Occasionally, Katrina or Blake would talk to me, but only if I wasn't with that annoying trio. They followed me everywhere, even when I told them to their faces to high tail it out of my sight.

"Alright, seniors! Listen up!"

"Jesus, does she seriously have to talk now?" I growled.

Chloe Greenman stood at the mike, bow in her fake, dyed hair, cheerleading outfit pulled up way too high for my liking. To be honest Chloe, I seriously don't want to see your ass every time you bend down!

"Okay, so this year for October, SCH is organizing a Halloween Carnival!" she squealed into the mike.

All the cheerleaders cheered and few others clapped.

"The mayor has agreed to let us do the carnival for _everybody_ this year!"

"Shit. What does she mean by _everybody_?" I asked Deana. She shrugged.

"We're having our carnival on the boardwalk!" she said in that annoying as hell cheerleading voice.

Some people groaned, others perked up. Me? I was kind of getting excited myself.

"Okay, so everybody has to do a booth, alright? When I call your name, come get the sheet that has all the information for your booth that's been chosen for you! Some people will have groups and the names will be listed on the sheet. Others will be alone."

"Chosen for us? That's a load of shit, right there, man!" I heard Deana growl.

I nodded in agreement.

"Akoth, Adine, Able, Abbote…"

The list went on and on until finally it reached the R's.

"Retra, Reeves…"

I stood up and bounded down the bleacher stairs.

Chloe saw me coming and smiled wickedly. "Good luck with this one, Reeves," she snickered.

I snatched the sheet from her hand and quickly walked out of the gym, towards the lockers. I looked down at my paper and my heart sank.

_Booth- Get Bit_

_Location- Santa Carla Boardwalk_

_When- October 31_

_Group- none (you can invite one friend to help you)_

_Cost- $2_

_Description- This year, instead of a kissing booth, there will be a Get Bit booth. In this booth, you must dress as a vampire (the best costume you can find) and offer people to take a picture with you. They can either get the picture with you just as a vampire or a picture with you pretending to bite their neck or wrist. Nothing inappropriate will be tolerated. Make this a fun and exciting booth! Also, please make it as eccentric and realistic as possible! This should be a booth everyone will remember this Halloween!_

_Signed:_

_Susie Grady-Principle of Santa Carla High_

You have got to be kidding me…

000

_Tuesday_

000

_Wednesday_

000

_Thursday_

I still had no idea what I was going to wear for the Get Bit booth. Honestly, I was freaking out over it. What if I had to bite some drunk perv? Well, technically it was_ pretending_, but still! I would have to put my mouth near his neck! Gross!

"Let's see, where can I get a good vampire costume that's not too expensive?"

I thought about it for a moment and decided that I probably couldn't afford _any_ costume in the department stores.

"I'll just have to make my own, I guess." Actually, this should be fun!

I was so preoccupied with planning out my vampire costume that I didn't see the girl until it was too late. I ran right smack into her and the papers in my hand went flying towards the sidewalk.

"Oh, I am so sorry!" I said quickly.

It was silent. I looked up and my face paled.

"Oh, hi, Griffin."

Griffin Yearwood was pretty much the leader of the Goths at school. She stood three inches taller than me and I swear I shrank five inches just because of fear.

She wore tight, ripped jeans with multiple chains, a black corset top, combat boots with red laces and kick-ass heals, and a single lace choker with a blue crescent moon attached. Her hair was a dull auburn and had one lone black streak in her bangs. Her earrings were heavy black loops and she sported a tiny nose ring. Her finger nails were painted black and a spiked bracelet adorned her wrist.

She totally pulled off the whole Goth look, but her reputation kind of scared me. People said she did drugs and worshipped Satin, but I _highly_ doubt that last part. That was a product of Miss head cheerleader herself.

"Seriously, Reeves, watch where you're going!" she spat.

"S-sorry!" I said, bending down to retrieve my papers. To my surprise, she bent down as well. She began to help me gather my papers. We stood back up and she handed back my papers, except for one.

"So, you were stuck with the Get Bit booth, huh?" she said, amused.

I sighed. "Yeah, unfortunately. I don't know how the hell I'm gonna manage biting people's necks!"

She laughed. I looked at her, stunned. "You'll do it. I've seen you take on Miss Pompom, surely Count Cassidy can handle _this_," she said, handing me back the booth sheet.

I smiled weakly. "So, what did you get?"

"Cadence, Blake, and I got face painting."

I snorted. "Good luck with that."

"Yeah, I know. Kids and I don't get along well," she grunted, rolling her eyes.

I raised a hand. "Me neither. You're not alone."

She laughed again. "So are you going to invite anyone to help you?"

I hadn't even thought about it. "Uh, I'm not really sure who would do it with me."

"I bet Jake Everleen would do it with you," she said, grinning.

"Uh, that's a definite no, no."

"Why, you don't like him?"

I laughed sarcastically. "Ever since he tried to force his tongue in my mouth in junior year I've hated his guts."

"And what's worse, he was a freshman!" she laughed.

"Don't remind me!"

I had to admit, Griffin was pretty nice. All those lies about her being a bitch were totally fake!

"Cassidy!"

I wanted to scream. I turned around, glaring at Molly in her shiny new pink convertible.

"What?" I yelled back.

"Need a ride home, farmer?" she laughed. Molly always thought it was hilarious to poke fun at my life on a farm. Yeah, not very funny, Molly.

"No!" I yelled.

Then she saw Griffin.

"Cassidy, don't get to close! You'll get rabies!" she shouted, her eyes wide.

Griffin snorted. "That's right, I forgot you hung out with those bitches."

"I don't. They think I like them, but honestly I think they're the most annoying species on the planet," I grumbled.

"Yeah, whatever. I'll see you around, Count Cassidy," she said, walking towards the school. Her chains jingled against her leg, creating a catchy rhythm.

I smiled a little and headed towards home.

"_Another two hour walk,"_ I thought glumly.

000

_Friday_

I spotted the comic store even before I saw the sign. It was Friday and tons of kids were swarming the store.

"Just great," I grumbled to myself.

Today, I thought I'd spice it up a bit. Instead of my normal plaid and jeans, I went for something a little more eye popping. I wore my regular torn up and somewhat baggy jeans and rugged looking black converse, but with a black tank top that stopped just below my ribs, exposing my stomach. My dad didn't know, but I had a belly button ring. It had two blue stones on it, and I saved up an entire year, including birthday money from my aunt, to get it.

Walking for two hours twice a day to go to and from school _plus_ tons of farm work had really toned me up over the years. My stomach muscles were defined and my legs were nicely shaped, at least I thought so. My hair was down and blew in the wind, making it look (I thought) pretty sexy, but I guess that's just me trying to make myself feel better. I was still getting over the sting of having the boys _and_ Maria leave me. Come to think of it, I hadn't from Maria all week long. I wonder if she was okay.

I heard somebody whistle and looked up to see a bunch of teenage guys standing in a group, smoking. They were probably younger than I was, to be honest and I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, baby, come over here!"

"Yeah, show us what you're made of!"

"Let me get a better look at that ass!"

They all cat called again and I walked faster towards the comic store. When I got inside, I looked around for Holly. There was no sign of her. I tried to find somebody that worked in the store, but I couldn't find anyone but a bunch of kids looking for comics on a Friday night.

"Looking for something?"

I turned swiftly around to find two fifteen year olds eyeing me up and down. One looked like Rambo Jr. and the other looked like he could take off in a fighter jet any second.

"Uh, yeah, I'm looking for a friend. She's got waist length black hair and green eyes. About this tall," I made a motion with my hands, "Have you seen her?"

Fighter pilot shook his head while Rambo Jr. went to get something from the back.

"No, sorry. I'm Alan and that's my brother, Edgar."

"That's so cool!"

"What, our names?" he asked, confused.

"Yeah, I mean, I almost expected your last name to be Poe!" I laughed.

He still looked confused.

I coughed. "Um, never mind."

Edgar came back with a comic book in his hand.

"Here," he said, shoving it in my hand. I looked at the cover _Vampires Everywhere_. I raised one eyebrow.

"Do you expect me to…pay for this or….?"

They simultaneously shook their heads.

"Keep it. Our number's on the back. Call us if you're being hunted," Edgar said in a really low voice.

"Whoa, seriously?" I asked, looking around to see if anybody saw the little deal that he made with me.

"Sure. You seem like the kind of person vampires would be attracted to. You need the protection," said Edgar.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, look at you," Alan said, eyeing me up and down again.

"Yeah?"

"Your top."

"What about it?"

"Vampires _love_ exposed skin," Alan explained.

"Easier to access all the blood," Edgar finished.

I starred at them for what seemed like hours.

"Okay, are you guys being serious here?"

"About the vampires? Yes. We've been aware of a great amount of vampire activity in Santa Carla lately. We try to warn anybody that could possibly be a next victim," Edgar growled.

"No, I meant about the comic, but okay," I said, rolling up the book and putting it in my large back pocket.

"Do you believe in vampires?" Alan asked.

"Sure. I mean, I always thought they were real as a kid. Why can't they be, ya know?"

"Finally, someone who understands," Edgar said gruffly to his brother. Alan nodded in agreement.

"Oh, I'm Cassidy, by the way."

"Cassidy!" I heard some call from the front of the shop. I saw Holly standing there, looking around for me.

"Over here!" I waved to her. She made her way over.

"Hi guys!" Holly said in a friendly voice.

Alan nodded his head and Edgar grunted.

"Hey, Holly," Alan said before the two brothers made their way back to organizing the comics.

"You know them?" I asked.

"Yeah, I come in here a lot."

"How old are you again?" I asked, trying not to laugh.

"Sixteen."

"Oh."

"Mostly I just come in here to hear the boys rant about vampires. I think it's pretty hilarious."

"You don't believe in them?"

"Of course I do! I'm in to all that stuff, remember? But the guys get so passionate about it, it's really entertaining!" she laughed as we walked out of the shop.

"So how long have you been waiting for me?"

"Maybe ten minutes," I said reassuringly.

"Okay, good. Hey, you look pretty!" she complimented.

"Thanks! So do you!"

She swirled around in her blue gypsy skirt and green camisole.

"Thanks, Cassidy! I made it myself!"

I shook my head. "Dude, you're so talented!"

She smiled. "So what do you want to do?"

"We could-" but I stopped talking then. Directly in front of us was Video Max and inside? You guessed it.

"Oh it's so on," I whispered.

"What?" she asked. I turned to her excitedly.

"Listen, remember last Saturday when we first met?"

"Of course."

"Well, the reason I was in your store was because I got lost. See those boys in there?" I motioned towards David and his friends inside Video Max.

"Yeah?"

"Well, I was hanging out with them, but I went to get a coke and they left me!" I didn't mention Maria.

She tried not to laugh. "Seriously?"

"Yeah! So I say let's get 'um back!"

Her eyes widened. "Hold on a second! What do you plan on doing?"

I looked down at my outfit. "Well, look at what I'm wearing! It's not too revealing, but enough to make you want more, right?"

She nodded.

"So, I say we go in there and totally be kick-ass, but _ignore_ them! Seriously, do you know how much guys _hate_ being ignored by girls? Especially if you already know her, right?"

"Touché."

"Alright! So you're in?"

"I guess…"

I high fived her and grinned. "Payback time!"

We walked slowly towards the door, taking our time to even out our hair and check each other's makeup that we had put on for tonight.

I opened the door and walked in. Holly followed behind. The bell rang, declaring that new customers had walked into the store. I saw Max turn around and smile at me.

"Cassidy! It's so good to see you again!"

I walked over to him at the counter. "You too, Max! Oh, this is Holly," I said, introducing my friend to Max.

They shook hands. "Nice to meet you, Holly."

Holly was silent. She was starring straight at the boys with a wide and fearful expression. Max turned around and glared at them.

"Stay away from those boys," he warned.

"Can do," Holly whispered, pulling me over to speak privately.

"What's up?"

"You never told me those guys were bad!"

"What?"

"Their vibes, Cassidy! They have _really_ bad vibes!"

"Like how bad?"

"I'm seriously about to wet my pants, it's that bad!" she whispered. I shook my head.

"You can wait outside if you want," I said, trying not to sound aggravated.

"No! You can't do this! Don't attract their attention!" she pleaded.

"But-"

"No!" she said, tugging towards the door.

"Too late," I whispered.

David had spotted me.

At first, he had done a double take probably to check if it was actually me or not. He starred, looking me up and down, but his eyes always came back to mine. They others noticed his silence and looked up as well. Paul whistled.

"Wow, Cassidy."

Marko and Dwayne looked dumbfounded.

I smirked in satisfaction. Now that I had their attention, it was time for the kill. I waved while smiling seductively at David and then swiftly turned around, my nose to the air and walked out.

Holly waited outside with wide eyes.

"You were so brave, but stupid! They could have ripped you to shreds!"

I laughed and spun around in a circle. "Nah! That was the best feeling _ever_!"

"What was?"

"Revenge!"

000

I kept seeing him around the boardwalk, but ignored him. This was definitely payback in my standards, the simple game of cat and mouse.

"Hey, do you want to go down to the beach?" Holly asked.

I smiled. "Why not?"

We made our way towards the sand and water, listening to the soft tide. There were plenty of bonfires we could have sat down next to, but we preferred a quiet place to sit. Eventually, we found one farther away from the boardwalk. We plopped down in the sand and put our toes in the water.

"This was so much fun!" Holly exclaimed excitedly.

"I know. We should do this again sometime," I said, smiling.

"Really? You want to hang out with me again?"

I looked over at her to see hope in her green eyes. "Definitely."

She smiled and lay back in the sand, sighing. Then something made my heart drop to my stomach. The sound of motorcycles.

"_Doesn't David have one?"_ I thought fearfully.

"What's that?" Holly asked, sitting up in alert.

"I think it's the guys, the ones from the video store tonight."

Her eyes widened in fear. "What if they're mad! What if they hurt us!"

"I highly doubt that," I said, but on the inside I was thinking the same exact thing.

Holly started to shake and I tapped my foot. It was all I could do to keep from freaking out. Suddenly, I heard boisterous laughing and lithe footsteps in the sand heading in our direction.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit," I whispered.

The footsteps stopped right behind us and Holly turned around. She let out a squeak of terror and bolted upright.

"Who's your friend, Cassidy?" David asked.

"H-Holly," she whimpered.

"Marko, why don't you show Holly around bit?" David did not sound amused.

"My pleasure," Marko said seductively.

Soon, the sounds of the two disappeared as well as the other boys. It was only me and David.

"Yes?" I asked, not looking up, but out at the black ocean.

Something dropped in the sand next to me. I looked over to see a small purple box. I picked it up with confusion.

"Think of it as an apology for leaving the other night."

I was speechless. This time I looked up at him, but saw he was also looking out at the ocean.

He turned to leave, but stopped. "A word of advice: look out for that Sam boy; he seems to like you a lot."

Then, he left. I guessed that my eyes were as round as saucers. How did he know what Sam's name was?

I shook my head and looked down at the box in my lap. There was writing on the top, but it was too dark to make out. I opened the top lid and nearly cried out.

Inside was the teardrop necklace from Holly's store.

**DAVID'S SO EPIC! Please R&R!**


	7. Chapter 7 Holly

**Okay, so this chapter is kind of getting to know Cass a little more. It's sort of her insight on everything! Enjoy! Thanks for reviews! They were amazing!**

"Holly? Holly, where are you?" I shouted, looking around frantically.

I couldn't find my ecstatic friend anywhere, not after Marko "offered" to show her around. She wasn't in Video Max; she wasn't in the comic book store, so there was only one place that she could possibly be.

I rushed towards the door and practically kicked it open trying to get in. Inside, her store was quiet. The radio was no longer playing and no one was manning the counter. I felt terror rise up in my throat.

What had they done with her?

"Holly?" I said quietly. No answer.

"Holly?" I said, louder this time. Still no answer.

The shop seemed like a warning almost, its emptiness and silence foreshadowing what would come next. I knew I was being silly, but that's the feeling I got. I guess it was just because Holly wasn't here.

I checked behind the counter, all around the store, in the hidden corners, but she was nowhere. There was still one room I hadn't checked yet, the storage room in the very back.

I crept towards the door and slowly turned the knob, my heart pounding faster and faster by the second. I pushed the door open and was welcomed by complete darkness. My hand felt the wall for a light switch and flipped it on.

I looked around the room, seeing nothing but boxes of beads and feathers and claws, everything to make Holly's necklaces. Something crashed in the back and I jumped ten feet.

"Hello?" I whispered.

Noises were coming from the back of the room and I slowly made my way over.

"Holly?"

Something screeched and I screamed. I ran towards the door and wrenched it open. Then, I stopped, pausing at the doorway, thinking about how stupid I was to run.

"_It could be Holly you idiot!"_

So I made my way back, creeping slowly so I didn't scare whatever was behind those boxes.

"Hello? Holly?"

Then I heard a faint noise and stopped.

I pushed a few boxes out of the way and nearly screamed again. A little black kitten tumbled out of the box and landed right on its rump. It looked up at me with big orange eyes and opened its pink mouth in a quiet meow. I bent down and stoked its tiny head.

"Hi, little guy!" I said, laughing at my foolishness for being afraid of a kitten.

It meowed again and rubbed against my leg, purring contentedly.

"What's your name, huh?" I asked. As if in response, the little kitten lifted its head to revel a green leather collar with a shiny gold tag.

_Jynx_

_831-477-4872_

"Hey there, Jynx," I crooned, stoking his back. He lifted it in response and purred. Suddenly, I heard a second set of meows coming from the same box.

"What the hell?"

I looked inside and saw a little white kitten with bright blue eyes staring back at me. I lifted her out of the box and onto the ground. I looked at the shiny gold tag attached to her pink leather collar.

_Spades_

_831-477-4872_

"Spades, huh? Brother and sister maybe?" I asked, looking at the two of them. They were play fighting, Spades biting on Jynx's ear and Jynx scratching her side.

Then, something clicked in my head.

"_Of course!"_

I lifted Spades up and looked at the phone number engraved on the shiny tag.

"Where's the phone?" I asked, looking around. There was a phone on the counter, so I lifted both kittens in my hands and set them on the counter. They explored, sticking their noses in anything that smelled interesting.

I dialed the number and listened to it ring. I tapped my fingers against the wood table, waiting for anybody to pick up.

"Hello?" answered a pleasant voice.

"Hi, I'm Cassidy Reeves and-"

"Cassidy? Oh, Holly's told me _so_ much about you!"

I smiled, so this was Holly's number!

"Actually, I have a question. I found your cats, Spades and Jynx, in the storage room at Holly's shop."

"Did she leave them again? I swear my daughter has no sense of responsibility!"

I breathed out a sigh of relief. This was her mother, surely she'd know if Holly went back home.

"Um, Mrs.…?"

"Laroche, Ginger Laroche," her mother replied.

"Mrs. Laroche, I was wondering if Holly was at home or not?"

She was silent. "Why would she be home, dear? She's out with you, right?"

"Uh… she was, but…" I tried to think of a quick response, "but, she didn't feel well and said she was going home. I was just wondering if she had gotten there yet?"

"Oh! No, not yet, dear! I can have her call when she gets back!"

"That would be great, Mrs. Laroche. My number's 831-277-9864," I replied, my heart racing in terror. Holly wasn't home, so where the hell was she?

"Okay, dear, I'll have her call!"

"Oh! Mrs. Laroche?"

"Yes?"

"What do you want me to do with her cats?"

"Just leave them there, Cassidy. They have food and water in the storage room," she replied cheerily.

"Oh, okay."

"Have a good night, dear!"

"You too." I hung up and sank to the floor. Now, Maria was gone _and_ Holly. What was I going to do?

I put my head in my hands and tried not to cry.

"_So two of my friends are missing, somehow David found out Sam's name and that I liked the necklace and I have no ride home! Can this day get any worse?"_

I'll admit it, I was terrified. They had both disappeared by the hands of David and his gang, so did that mean I was next? And how the _hell_ did he find out I liked that necklace? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm really, _really_ glad that he got it for me because that meant he at least liked me enough to buy me something, but how did he find out? Was he watching me?

_Watching…_

The familiar word sounded in my brain again.

What the hell was he?

000

After I got myself together I called my dad, and he picked me up. I had to explain to him why I had a belly button ring because there was no way to cover it up, but it was better than sitting out _alone_ on the boardwalk on a Friday night.

I felt really bad about leaving Holly's kittens in the storage room, so I took them home with me. I promised my dad I would return them by tomorrow, so he agreed to take them home. They squirmed the whole car ride and at one point, I thought of actually chucking them out the window.

"Keep them away from the dogs, Cassidy," Dad said.

"I know, I know, for the last time, I know!" I growled, looking out the window.

"Cass," Dad warned.

I rolled my eyes, but he didn't see me. The kittens had finally fallen asleep in my lap and I tried not move.

"We're home," Dad said, turning into the gravel driveway.

When the car stopped, I gently picked up the kittens and brought them inside.

"Carter?" I called up the stairs.

"Yeah?" I heard him yell.

"Where're the dogs?"

"Outside, chained up! Why?"

"Cats," was my reply and that's all it took for him to come downstairs.

He was in his sweat pants and had no shirt on. Now I'll admit, if I wasn't related to Carter, I probably would have been mooning over him. My brother is very well built and handsome, but he's my brother and that would just be gross.

"Why do you have cats?"

"They're Holly's."

"Who?"

"A friend. She left them in her storage room and I took them."

"Isn't illegal to kidnap someone else's pets?"

I shrugged. "Probably."

He smirked, amused. "What're going to do with them?"

"I'm just keeping them for tonight. I'll return them tomorrow," I replied, looking around for blankets to use for the kittens' bed.

He yawned and headed back upstairs.

"Just don't let them in my room, 'kay?" he called behind his shoulder.

"Sure!" I called back.

I heard his door close softly and the snoring that followed shortly afterward.

The front door closed and my dad walked into the living room.

"Where do you want to put them, Cass?" he asked, looking at the kittens.

"I'll bring them up to my room."

"But you always bring the dogs up there," he reminded me.

"Oh, right…"

"Why don't you ask Ben if he has an old crate or box they can sleep in?" Dad asked.

I nodded. "Good idea. Here, will you take them for a minute?"

"Sure," Dad said, taking the kittens from my arms and cradling them gently. Dad had special gift with animals and I could always trust him with my dogs. My brother on the other hand, not so much.

Dad handed me a flashlight from the cabinet and I nodded my thanks.

"I'll be right back," I said, opening the door and walking out onto the front porch. The chilly October breeze blew across my bare skin and I shivered slightly. I turned the flashlight on and stepped down from the white porch.

Something whined in the dark and I jumped. My dogs wagged their tails happily and I smiled.

"Hey, guys," I said gently, bending down and patting their heads. Jesse rubbed her snout into my hand and Winchester licked my cheek.

"Gross," I whispered, wiping my hand across my face.

I unhooked their chains and whistled for them to follow me. They padded ahead of me, sniffing the ground in interest. We walked across the open field, past the cornfields, until we came to Ben's house. It was small, but had a very warm, homey feeling to it.

I knocked on the door and stood out on the small front porch. The door opened and Ben stuck his head out. When he saw it was me he opened the door fully.

"Come on in, ma'am," he said kindly.

"Thanks, Ben," I said gratefully. It was getting really cold outside.

I walked inside, taking notice of the interior I had probably seen about a hundred times before.

All along his walls were mounted ducks, deer heads, boar heads, pheasants, turkeys, deer antlers, and fish. Yeah, Ben hunted a lot.

He had a small kitchen that connected with his warm living room. It had two love seats and a big, comfy brown couch. He had a fire going and I walked towards it in attempt to warm myself up. Bernie, Ben's chocolate lab, lay sleeping by the fire.

Bernie was an old dog, that's for sure. His muzzle, chest, and paws were covered in gray and he always had a hard time getting around during the winter. In the summer though, he was almost just as rambunctious as my dogs.

Ben walked towards the kitchen. "Coffee?" he asked.

"That would be great," I said.

I heard him start making the coffee and sat down in a chair.

"So what can I do for ya, Cassidy?"

"Well, I was wonderin' if you had an extra box or crate I could borrow?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I sure do, but what's it for, if ya don't mind me askin'?"

"Not at all. I'm taking care of two kittens for a friend. It's only for tonight."

"Better keep them dogs away from 'um. They don't like cats too much," he warned.

"I know. I'm putting the kittens in the kitchen and the dogs are coming to my room," I explained.

He walked back over and handed me a _Remington_ mug. I sipped the hot liquid and relaxed. Ben sat down on the other love seat and patted Bernie's head.

"It's mighty cold outside for you to be wearin' somethin' like that," he commented, motioning towards my shirt.

"I know," I confessed, "but my friend and I went out tonight and it wasn't that cold."

"What size box do ya need?" Ben asked, changing the subject.

"Oh, any size will do just fine," I said.

"Okay, hold on one second," he said and walked towards the back of his house.

I heard him moving objects around until he came back with a big box. It was in steady shape and would do great for the kittens.

"How 'bout this?" he asked.

I nodded my head. "Perfect!"

He smiled and handed the box to me.

"You be careful now, ya hear? I've been hearing some strange noises comin' from them cornfields and the woods outback," he warned.

"What kind of noises?" I asked warily.

"Let's just say there're more dangerous things out there than bobcats and coyotes, Miss Reeves," he warned.

I shook my head. "I'll be fine, Ben. Thanks for the box!"

"You're mighty welcome."

I opened the front door and walked out onto the field again. My dogs followed close behind, ears perking up at every night sound.

"_I really wish Ben hadn't said that,"_ I thought nervously.

When I went back inside my house, I found the kittens asleep on the couch with no one watching them.

"Great, thanks for watching them, Dad," I muttered sarcastically.

I filled the box with old blankets and gently picked up the kittens and set them inside. They curled up next to each other, looking identical to drawings of yin and yang. I set the box on the kitchen counter, farthest away from the edge, and walked up the stairs.

"Dogs, come on," I whispered. They trotted up the stairs, nearly pushing me over to get to the top.

I reached my bedroom and quietly shut the door. My dogs curled up in their soft dog beds and sighed. I stared down at them and realization set in. My dogs were getting old. Gray had begun to pepper their snouts and they seemed all too eager to lie down and fall asleep. I felt sad then, knowing that my dogs only had maybe five or six more years to live. It was mind blowing to think that I had gotten them_ ten_ years ago on my birthday!

I sighed walked towards my dresser. I could still feel the purple box in my jean pocket. I took it out and opened it again. The tear drop necklace was still there, looking as beautiful as ever. My heart fluttered in my chest and I rubbed my thumb across the tear drop.

"How did he know?" The question still bothered me. I sighed and set the box on my bedside table.

I opened up my dresser drawer and pulled out my SCH sweatpants that ended at the knees and a John Deere tank top. I undressed in front of a mirror, and traced my fingers down the long scar that ran across my hip. When I was little, I had a limp because my right leg was shorter than my left leg. My doctor told me I would grow out of it, but I didn't. I had to get a bone extension, so that's where my scar came from.

I pulled on my sweatpants and T-shirt and hopped onto my red flannel country plaid bedspread. I sighed and snuggled up in the covers. I was just about to close my eyes when I heard a knock on my door. I growled in aggravation.

"Yes?" I asked, frustrated.

Dad opened my bedroom door and walked in. He seemed like he was in a hurry.

"Cass, I need you to do me a favor," he pleaded.

"What?"

"I need you to go down to the store and grab us some bread and coffee creamer."

"Uh, not to be rude or anything, but why can't you do it? Besides, it's eleven at night, Dad," I protested.

"I can't do it myself because I have to check on the chickens. I think that damn fox got into the pen again," he growled.

"Can't it wait 'till morning?"

"You won't be awake in the morning, Cass. Can you just do it now? It would only take you about half an hour," he argued.

I sighed. "Fine."

"Thanks," he said, before disappearing. I got out of bed and dug through my closet for a pair of flip flops. I put on my lime green ones and walked out of my bedroom. I hurried down the stairs and grabbed the truck keys off the counter.

Outside, the breeze picked up and I cursed myself for not grabbing a jacket. I got inside the truck and started the engine. I grumbled angrily to myself as I pulled out of the driveway.

"_It's eleven at night, Dad. I was ready to go to sleep!"_

It took me about half an hour to get to the nearest market which was unfortunately close to the boardwalk. Tons of people were still out though, so I really had nothing to be afraid of. I pulled into the parking lot for the market and quickly went inside and found the bread and coffee creamer. The guy at the checkout was attempting to flirt while ringing me up.

"So, what school do you go to?" he asked. I wanted to slap him.

"_It says on my pants, dumbass!"_

"SCH," I replied, tapping my foot.

"Cool, I go to RHS."

"I heard it was a good school," I replied in a bored voice.

"I guess so. So, what's your name?"

"Cassidy."

"I'm Matt."

"Nice to meet you."

"_Now could you please just tell me the price and let me get out of here so I can go back home!"_

"Ten dollars and thirty-six cents," he replied with a smile. I handed him a twenty and he broke it for me. I thanked him and took the bag. I walked quickly out to the truck, eager to get home and set the bag in the backseat. As I was walking around to the front, something caught my eye from far away. I did a double take to make sure what I was seeing was real.

"Holly?"

She was running towards the road, her eyes blazing with terror.

"Holly!" I shouted at her. Her head whipped up and she raced over to me. She practically tackled me, she hugged me so hard.

"Oh, Cassidy!" she sobbed.

I hugged her back. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Her body shook violently and she cried so loud, I thought the whole boardwalk would come over to see what was wrong with her.

"Hey, what happened? Where did you go tonight?"

She looked up at me, millions of tears running down her cheeks and her eyes were red rimmed, telling me she had been crying for a long time now.

"Oh, it was horrible, Cassidy! They-they took me around a bit and I thought I was okay! But then they told me to wait by the rails until they came back, but I didn't listen! I followed them to the beach and I saw….."

I shook her and she cried even harder. "What! What did you see, Holly?"

"Cassidy, they're…they're….."

Then she fainted.


	8. Chapter 8 Get my point across

**Okay, I know this chapter is short, sorry. Thanks to everyone for their reviews and a special thanks to CarvedKid (this chapter's for you!) Enjoy!**

000

I stormed through the crowds in a blind rage. My hands shook violently and my face was flushed from anger.

"_What did they do to her to make her that scared!"_

People were giving me death glares but at this point, I didn't care if I knocked anyone over, as long as I found _them_.

I literally scoured the entire boardwalk looking for them. I searched the video store (they seemed to go there a lot), the free concert going on that night, every bar and restaurant, you get the picture.

I didn't find them at any of those places, unfortunately, but I wasn't going to give up. I would make sure they heard what I had to say. Now, I wasn't going to be ridiculous and pretend like I could actually take on all four of them, I mean let's be realistic here. I couldn't fight them physically, but I definitely could verbally.

"Where are you, David?" I whispered menacingly to the night. I knew he hadn't left the boardwalk yet, I could just feel it.

The shrill sounds from the carousel were sounding in my ear and I headed towards the brightly colored ride. The horses went up in down in a redundant pattern, and the motion made remember that night with Maria.

"_I'm gonna find out what they did with her too,"_ I thought angrily, running my hand across the black horse that Maria had ridden.

They weren't on the carousel like I thought they might be and I was running out of options.

"_Where are they?"_

I stepped off the carousel in frustration and stormed off towards the railings. It was freezing outside and the sudden temperature drop made me wish that I had grabbed a jacket. The wind blew ocean spray up from the beach and I wrapped my arms around me in attempt to get warm.

"Jesus, it's cold," I mumbled.

_Pop, pop, pop_. My flip flops made that annoying sound and I was tempted to take them off. The only thing that kept me from removing them was all the sharp objects lying around on the dusty ground.

"_Yeah, not a very smart idea,"_ I thought.

I walked along the railings until most of the people on the boardwalk had gone back home. A few stragglers stayed behind, but the boardwalk was mostly empty.

"_I've got to get back to Holly," _I thought anxiously. Too much of the night had passed away.

I had carried Holly to the truck after she fainted and set her in the front. Of course I locked it, but still, it was Santa Carla. I needed to get back to her before anything could happen.

The wind blew even harder and my anger grew. If it wasn't for _him_ I wouldn't be out here freezing my ass off!

"Speak of the devil," I growled, looking directly ahead of me.

There they were, leaning casually on the railings, watching the last few party goers stumble around the boardwalk. They were all smoking, as usual, and I wanted to slap the cigarettes out of their hands I was so mad.

My anger boiled over the edge. They were gonna hear what I had to say!

I stalked over to them, my hands bunching up into fists. David was the first to notice me and smirked at my outrage.

"_You_!" I hissed, pointing a finger in his direction. I probably should have listened to little Jiminy Cricket in my head, but I couldn't stop, not when I had so much to say.

"You! What did you do to her!" I snarled.

Marko laughed. "We didn't do anything."

"Bullshit!" I screeched.

David shook his head. "You're friend has a tendency to overreact, Cassidy."

"_Overreact_? She was terrorized and crying so hard I could barely understand her! Now you tell me what you did to her!" I snarled, getting up David's face.

He laughed a cold, cruel laugh. "Like Marko said, we didn't do anything her. We got in a fight with some guys on the beach and it probably freaked her out." His face was one of amusement. It was almost like I had missed an inside joke between the four of them.

My eyes narrowed and I was silent.

"I don't believe you," I growled.

"Well, believe it, girl," Paul laughed loudly.

I turned swiftly around to face him. "AND YOU!" I screeched, breaking the silence.

He held his hands up in surrender. "What did I do?" he laughed, looking around at his friends as they laughed as well. David wasn't laughing.

"What did you do to Maria?"

Paul's face fell, but he remained silent.

"Well?"

"That's enough, Cassidy," David said sternly.

I whipped around to face him, starring angrily into his blue eyes.

"No, that's not enough, _David_," I hissed his name. His features hardened and his eyes glinted dangerously.

"Maria's my best friend and I have a _right_ to know what happened to her!"

I watched in frustration as David simply put out his cigarette with the tip of his boot and looked back at me, acting as if everything were normal. He smirked, all signs of anger gone from his perfect features.

"_Boy, he's good."_

"You're still just as stubborn," he laughed quietly, but his eyes did not show amusement. They portrayed something close to longing and deep unhappiness.

_Still?_ I didn't know what was going on, but I had a feeling that I didn't want to know.

"Yes and my stubbornness has always gotten me answers in the past, so spill," I commanded.

All the boys adopted angry expression, obvious signs that they didn't like being told what to do. They growled, turning around fully to face me.

"Go home, Cassidy," David growled.

I scowled. "When she wakes up, I'll get the answers. And if I find out you harmed her in any way then I swear I'll-"

"You'll do what? Please, enlighten me," David asked harshly.

I was caught off guard. "I…I'll…" I stuttered. What _would_ I do?

He smirked in satisfaction. "That's what I thought."

My hands clenched into fists and I grabbed handfuls of my sweat pants to keep myself from doing anything drastic. I breathed out a stressful breath and looked away. I knew I had lost.

"I just need to know that you won't hurt Maria, David," I whispered angrily, my voice pained. I looked back up when I heard no response.

David was staring at me curiously and I felt my cheeks burn much to my dislike.

"Boys, give us a minute," David said, his eyes never leaving mine.

I watched the others leave reluctantly and my heart raced. Being alone with David had proven to be quite difficult in the past.

"Why can't you tell me?" I asked the minute they were gone.

"Because, Cassidy, it's none of your business anymore," he warned.

"None of my business? She's my best friend, why can't I see her?"

"Because!" he said sharply, causing me to shut my mouth quickly. I could tell this could get ugly very fast if I wasn't careful.

I sighed. "I have so many questions, David."

He raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

I took a deep breath, deciding to ask the question that had been bothering me for hours now.

"How did you know I wanted that necklace?" I whispered.

He was silent for a long time. "Isn't it enough just to say thank you and move on?"

I shook my head. "Not for me."

He snorted. "Still just the same," he repeated.

I still had no idea what he was talking about and I wasn't about to ask.

"Are you going to give me an answer to _any_ of my questions?"

"I think leaving you in the dark would be much more enjoyable," he said, smirking.

I groaned. "You're being very difficult."

"You're the one who was yelling," he pointed out.

"That's not the point. The point is, the last I saw of Maria, she headed off with you guys and she never came back."

David didn't speak.

"Did you kill her?" I asked bluntly. I needed to know the truth and this was the only way to find out.

His head snapped up and his eyes glinted dangerously.

"If she's that important to you, do you think I would have killed her?" he snarled.

I was stunned into silence.

"Look, make it easy on both of us and go home, Cass," he growled.

My heart fluttered. Cass! He called me Cass! The annoying childhood name suddenly sounded so perfect coming from him.

"_Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"_ I thought angrily.

"_Now is not the time to moon over him!"_

My eyes narrowed. "I'll find out what happened to her, David. I'll find out what you're hiding from me," I threatened.

He smirked. "I look forward to it, Cassidy."

I turned around then and stalked off in anger, all the while feeling his eyes follow me. When I got back to the truck, Holly was still unconscious in the front seat. I sighed and started the engine.

The roads on the way home were bumpy and a few times I thought Holly might wake up. Unfortunately she didn't. How was I going to explain an unconscious girl in the front seat to my Dad? He would probably think she was a drunk or a junkie or something like that.

I wouldn't be in this difficult situation if it wasn't for David.

"_I'll get the answers to my questions, even if it kills me."_

000

**Wow, she's not a happy camper! Lol please R&R!**


	9. Chapter 9 Open window mistake

**Okay, so this chapter is shorter than the rest, but I hope you like it anyways! Please R&R!**

000

"Holly," I whispered.

She didn't stir.

"Holly, wake up!" I whispered again, shaking her.

She still didn't move. I began to panic. People don't stay unconscious for this long when they've fainted!

"Holly!" I said louder this time.

She remained still. Her unmoving body reminded me of a corpse and for a terrifying second, I thought she was dead.

I leaned my head against her chest and heard her steady heartbeat.

"_Good, so she's still alive,"_ I thought, relieved.

But why wouldn't she wake up?

"God, this is not good," I muttered.

We sat in the truck in my gravel drive way for a complete hour, me trying to figure out how I was going to explain her to Dad and Holly still unconscious.

I debated over different options.

"Okay, um, I could tell him she fell asleep in the car! Well, he would ask why I didn't take her home…."

I thought it over for a second and decided it was my best bet. It made the most sense.

I opened my door and walked around to Holly's side. Pulling her into my arms, I began to walk towards my front porch, the gravel crunching under my flip flops. She didn't weigh anything and it felt like I was carrying one of the newborn piglets from the sty.

I knocked loudly on the front door with my foot and listened as footsteps came down from upstairs. The wooden door opened, but the screen door remained closed. My Dad peered out at me through the transparent material.

"Cassidy?" he asked, bewildered.

"Yeah, don't ask. She was gonna come home with me for a…sleepover, but she fell asleep in the car," I lied.

He looked at me for a long time, most likely debating whether or not I was telling the truth. Then, he nodded his head and opened the screen door.

"The bread and creamer are in the truck," I told him as I walked towards the couch. I sat Holly down and stretched.

"Thanks," he said and walked outside.

I massaged my temples, trying to relieve some of the stress that was building up. I sighed and looked down at Holly's sleeping figure.

"_I wonder what she saw back there?"_

Dad walked back in and locked both doors.

"A sleepover, huh?" he asked skeptically, looking at Holly.

I nodded. "Yeah, I, uh, I'm gonna take her up to my room. Night, Dad," I said nervously, picking Holly back up.

"Night, Cass."

I labored up the stairs until I reached my bedroom.

"Carter?" I called down the hallway. I didn't want to wake him up, but I had no choice if I wanted to get into my room.

I heard snoring coming from his bedroom.

"Carter!" I called, louder. He snorted and the snoring ceased.

"Huh?" he answered in a sleepy voice.

"Please come open my bedroom door for me!"

"Why?"

"Just do it, please!"

I literally waited for ten minutes until he finally came out of his bedroom. He swayed with sleep and rubbed his eyes. When he saw Holly he stopped dead.

"Uh?"

"Don't ask."

"I don't even think I wanna know, Cass," he mumbled, opening my door for me.

"Thanks, Car," I said, smiling.

He grunted and sauntered back to his door.

I set Holly on my bed and walked over to the window. It was stifling in my room and beads of sweat rolled down my forehead. I opened the window and a blast of cold air hit my face. It filled the room almost instantly and I sighed.

"Much better."

The moon was glowing brightly and its luminescence lit up the cornfields in an eerie glow. I got a little creeped out and went back over to the bed.

I put a wool blanket over Holly and proceeded to make a pallet for myself on the floor. It would just be weird to sleep in the same bed as her. I mean, we barely knew each other.

I yawned, turned the lights off, and walked out into the hallway again. The bathroom light was on and it reminded me that I needed to clean up for bed.

The bathroom smelled clean, a crisp lemon scent everywhere. I leaned over the sink and brushed my teeth. After rinsing twice, I brushed my tangled hair and splashed my face with cold water.

I gazed in the mirror and looked at my blonde hair.

"Ugh, gross," I muttered, observing the dirty locks.

I couldn't go to bed dirty so I switched on the shower head and waited until the water was searing hot. I stripped down and jumped in. Goosebumps formed on my skin from the contact with the hot water.

I washed my hair, lathering it in a rich shampoo that smelled like a mixture of different sweet smelling berries. After soaping down my entire body and rinsing off, I felt refreshed and ready to go to bed. The shower had totally relaxed me and numbed my brain. I had temporarily forgotten everything and was in a moment of pure serenity.

I turned the water off and wrapped a clean towel around my body. Leaning over the bathtub, I squeezed the remaining water out of my curly hair.

After soaking up some of the water from my hair in the towel, I attempted to brush it out with little success, managing to rip out a chunk of my curly locks.

"Damn it," I cursed under my breath.

After spending half an hour in the bathroom, I made my way back to my bedroom. I hummed the Winnie the Pooh theme song to myself and held the towel tightly around my body.

What? I liked Winnie the Pooh!

The cool night air from the window had made its way into the hallway and I shivered.

"Maybe that's a little _too_ cold," I mumbled to myself.

I entered my room, still humming gently to myself and turned the lights back on.

My heart almost skipped a beat.

Holly had disappeared and David had taken her place. He stood next to the window, smirking at my appearance. The moonlight cast down on his black clothing, turning them dark silver. I pulled the towel tighter around me and gulped.

"You're a good singer, Cassidy," he said, his eyes looking me up and down.

My voice was caught in my throat.

"_Why oh why did I open that window?"_

Could this day get any worse?

000

**That David's a sneaky one! Did you catch the Winnie the Pooh thingy? I hope so…**

**R&R please!**


	10. Chapter 10 Jumble of emotions

**Okay, so I **_**will**_** update tomorrow as well because it's Halloween and the booth she has to do is on Halloween! So expect to see another one tomorrow! Anyways, I worked hard on this chapter, so I hope you enjoy it!**

**000**

Water dripped on the floor from my hair and the towel seemed like a thin barrier between me and David. He watched in amusement as I squirmed under his gaze, obviously satisfied with my reaction.

"What the hell are you doing in my room?" I hissed, trying not to wake up my dad and brother.

"Obviously watching you," he said in a _matter of fact_ tone.

"Well, that much is obvious, smartass! I meant _why_ are you in my room?" I growled. My mind raced as I tried to remember all the hidden escape routes in my house.

He shrugged and I scowled. Of course he wasn't going to answer any of my questions! He _never_ did!

"Well, then would you mind explaining to me where Holly went?"

"Marko," was all he said.

My face paled. They had taken her again. When would I ever get a break from this?

"Look, you better get out of here before my dad hears you!" I warned him quietly, taking a step back towards the hallway.

He laughed quietly. "So, I show up in your room and all you can think about is your dad hearing us?"

_Us…_

It sounded so right that I couldn't help myself. My heart soared like a free bird on the wind.

"_Stop it,"_ I warned myself.

"I would have thought you'd be worried about other things," he said, his voice husky.

I blushed. "Do you just love embarrassing me or what?" I snapped.

"I find your chagrin quiet amusing, actually," he said, smirking.

My eyes narrowed. "That's fantastic, now would you please get out of my room," I said sarcastically.

"Why would I want to do that?" he asked playfully.

"Because, if my _dignity _means anything to you, you'll leave and let me get dressed," I hissed, instantly regretting it.

Shrinking in size as he proceeded to walk towards me, I tried to go back into the hallway, but managed to be cornered against the wall.

My face burned in embarrassment and I clutched the towel even tighter. He reached his hand out and my eyes widened.

"What are you…?"

His gloved hand gently clutched a lock of my hair. I gulped as he lifted it to his nose and took a deep breath. Everything seemed to go in slow motion.

"Strawberries," he sighed, releasing my hair.

Then, his hand made its way down to my face. His thumb stroked my cheek and I felt extremely self-conscious in the towel.

"Still just the same," he whispered.

That was starting to bother me. What did he mean?

Then he released my face quickly and walked towards the window.

"Meet me outside," he commanded, not looking at me.

"What?"

He kept walking. "Outside."

"Where are you going?"

"You mean where are _we_ going? My place."

"Now?" I asked, bewildered. It was nearly twelve!

"Of course."

He was about to climb through the window, but stopped.

"I like the towel by the way. It compliments you well," he laughed.

My face turned blood red. Then, he was gone, lost to the thick blackness of the night.

I felt like I could finally breathe again. I nearly fainted and had to lean on the wall for support.

"What the _hell_ just happened?" I whispered to myself.

I shook my head. Never mind that! He wanted me to go to his place! What did he expect me to do?

"Oh, God," I muttered as I made the stupid decision to go with him. David had stabbed at my curiosity like a sharp butchers knife and I wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to find out more about him.

I raced over to my drawer and pulled out black matching underwear and bra. I slipped them on and dug through my closet for jeans and a T-shirt.

"Here we go," I whispered.

I pulled out my ripped, baggy jeans and a black Beatles T-shirt and quickly put them on. The window was still open and a chilly breeze blew through.

"Need a jacket," I mumbled to myself.

I pulled on a gray jacket with wool lining that I got for Christmas last year and slipped my thumbs into the holes on the sleeves. Yeah, at my house clothing wears out pretty quickly. I ran into the bathroom and brushed out my hair again, looking into the mirror.

The girl that looked back at me was frightening. Her blue eyes shown with deep determination and her face was hardened with a scowl.

Who was this stranger?

This was not me. I was a happy, content person, not a sneaky, unruly trickster who disobeyed her father's rules of leaving the house after eleven and hung out with a gang of mysterious and dangerous bikers.

I shook my head and sighed. "_Embrace change"_ my mother used to say.

So I ran back to my room with a new mindset.

Suddenly, I thought of something, something on my bedside table.

The necklace.

I hurriedly put it on and looked at myself in the mirror. The teardrop looked fantastic, much to my delight. I also thought he might like to see it on me.

I raced over to the open window and stuck my head out. David, Dwayne, and Paul sat in the gravel driveway on their triumphs and my heart lurched. I had never been on a motorcycle before. This could be fun…

Then, realization hit me.

Holly and Maria were gone and I was the only link to their safety. If I went with David now, I may never come back.

I could never be with David because I had to keep my friends safe.

"Shit," I whispered.

What was I going to do? He was waiting outside for me! I couldn't just blow him off!

Or could I?

000

My packed bag sat on my bed, waiting for me to pick it up and leave. I stared sternly at it, debating whether or not this was actually a good idea.

I didn't want to get my family involved in this situation (for good and obvious reasons), so I figured I would hike it down to the police station and tell them what was going on. I had packed a bag because I thought I might need to sleep on a friend's couch for a day or two until everything calmed down. See, if my dad or brother got involved, it could become dangerous for all of us and I couldn't allow that to happen. I loved my family and most definitely did _not _want them killed.

I let out a long breath and slung the bag over my shoulder. Slipping on my boots and lacing them up, I quietly made my way downstairs, creeping by my dad's room and slipping into the kitchen. I grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and stuffed it in my bag along with some granola bars in case I got hungry.

I said a silent prayer in the dark and crept towards the back door. It would lead to the road and if I ran at a fast enough pace, I could reach the police station in an hour tops.

"God, protect me," I whispered.

I walked outside, clutching my bag tightly. I could hear the boys out front talking quietly and I decided that now was the time to run.

I took off at an incredible speed down the road, the chilly October air biting at my cheeks. The gravel spat out behind me as my boots kicked up dirt. On both sides of me were barb wire fences and behind that, the corn fields. This, unfortunately, provided no way of escape unless I decided to jump it.

"_I forgot about that,"_ I thought sullenly.

My hair blew out behind me as the wind picked up. My bag bumped constantly against my back, causing sharp pains to shoot down my spine.

Adrenaline was running through my veins like a crazed animal, so I never once thought of what I would do if David caught up with me.

Unfortunately, I really should have thought about it before.

The sound of motorcycles reached my ears before I even had time to think.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" I hissed.

I stole a fast glance behind me and saw something frightening. The boys were extremely close and they didn't look too happy, especially David.

My heart raced as I looked around for a way of escape.

Nothing.

"Nothing but the fences," I whispered.

The fences!

"Thank you, God!" I shouted into the air. I could easily jump the fences, but I would have to be careful not to get caught on them. I did that once as a little kid. It broke my arm when I fell down because my sleeve got caught. It very, very painful if I remember correctly.

I could hear them getting closer and knew I had to jump it now. Side tracking it to my left, I came to the fence. I slipped my hands on the wire, trying to ignore the sharp stabs of the barbs, and hauled myself up. Climbing this was not as hard as most people think and I easily reached the top in record time. I launched myself off the fence and landed on my feet. The sound of the motorcycles stopped and footsteps and loud voices replaced them. They had seen me.

"Christ, give me a break," I hissed.

I secured my bag across my shoulder and took off running into the corn fields. The rough husks scratched angrily at my face and the stalks whipped across my legs, but I didn't care. As long as I got away from them, I would be okay.

My bag was slowing me down, but I had no choice but to keep it on.

"_I'm gonna need it,"_ I reminded myself.

I wasn't exactly sure where the edge of the cornfields was, but I knew it was getting close. The stalks were thinning out and it was getting easier for me to see.

"If I go west from here, I can get to a back road in ten minutes, then to the high way in five," I said to myself.

Suddenly, my plans were cut short.

I was tackled to the ground, face down so I couldn't see my attacker. All I _could_ see were old husks and dirt.

"Keep her still!" I heard a man say.

The two of us wrestled on the ground violently until I was picked up by a second person and held away from the first. I saw a mop of blonde hair and knew instantly who it was.

"Jesus, Paul, we're not trying to kill the girl!"

"She kept trying to get away, Dwayne! What was I supposed to do?" Paul argued.

My arms were secured across my chest by a pair of strong hands, so I couldn't lash out.

"I swear, if you hurt her, you're gonna get it, Paul. She's David's, remember?"

_I'm David's?_

Paul snorted and began walking away.

"Come on, Cassidy, let's go," Dwayne said, pulling me in the opposite direction I was aiming for.

"No! Let me go!" I shouted, kicking out at whatever was in my way.

They kept walking and I kept thrashing, trying to make it as difficult as possible for them.

"Calm down!" Paul laughed.

"THEN LET ME GO!" I screamed.

But they ignored me and kept walking. I continued screaming at the top of my lungs, waiting for somebody to come to my rescue.

Nobody did.

We reached the road faster than I thought we would and I was scared out of my mind at what waited for me.

"Boys, be gentle. We wouldn't want to damage Cassidy's pretty face, now would we?" David said.

His voice was strange. It was a mixture of anger, sorrow, and pity, but mostly anger.

Pity? Sorrow? They sounded very foreign coming from him.

"Damn straight, you wouldn't! I'd kick your ass!" I hissed at the two boys holding me prisoner.

I really shouldn't provoke these things, but like Holly told me, I possessed the bad Irish temper.

"I'd like to see you try, girl," Paul laughed. I tried to advance towards him, but Dwayne held me back.

"Come over here and say that to my face!" I screeched.

"Chill out, Cass!" he laughed again.

"Cassidy," David warned sharply.

"Me! What about him?"

"You're making a huge deal out of nothing," he said calmly.

I growled, but didn't open my mouth. I watched as he pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it, inhaling the smoke.

He was stalling! Why was he stalling?

"One thing's for sure, you've got a strong voice," Dwayne comment painfully.

"Totally, girl! I thought my ears were gonna blow out!" Paul said.

"Good! I'm glad!" I growled.

"Was the screaming really necessary?" David asked.

"Well, let's see. I honestly didn't have _Get Manhandled_ on my to-do list for today, so yes, I believe it was!" I snapped.

The boys locked eyes and David motioned for them to let me go. Dwayne released me from his grip and I staggered forward on shaky legs.

Now that my sense was coming back, fear flooded over me like a tidal wave. I'm in the middle of the country with no help and I'm surrounded by _killers_!

"_How do you know they're killers?"_ my conscious asked.

"_I just do."_

"Why did you run?" he asked after a long moment of silence.

"Why did you take Holly?" I snapped.

"_I _didn't. Marko did."

"You know what I mean, David!"

"Marko's got himself a new girlfriend!" Paul laughed, elbowing Dwayne. Dwayne smirked, but looked away when I caught his gaze.

"This isn't funny, Paul! Where's Holly!"

"If you had come with me, we would've shown you," David explained.

My hands shook with anger.

"Do you really think I'm gonna leave my house in the middle of the night and go with _you_?" I snorted.

"Well, the leaving part you've already done," he said smugly.

"_Damn it."_

"Look, why the hell did you sneak into my room?"

"Well, I couldn't just ring your doorbell, could I?" he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

I was beginning to feel really stupid.

"I guess not," I said, feeling defeated.

He smirked because he knew he had won. Did I always have to lose these arguments?

After all the adrenaline had worn off, real emotions began to sink in. Loneliness crept up into my heart at the thought of my two friends who were now officially missing. I was in major danger and probably putting my friends in more. And to top it all off, next week was my mother's death anniversary. She would have never let me hang out with David and in turn I would have been safe.

Oh, how I wish she were here now to tell me it was all going to be okay.

Tears pricked my eyes and before I could stop them, fell down my cheeks. They were hot and salty and dripped down onto my shirt. I wiped them away, but more kept coming. After all that I'd been through, I deserved to cry, even though it was _so_ not me.

"Shit, man, you didn't tell me she was gonna cry!" Paul addressed David.

I sniffed and tried to stop the tears from flowing, but the task seemed impossible. The truth faced me now.

I was probably going to die.

I looked up then and saw David. He was staring at me curiously; his expression was one I could not decipher.

"What are you staring at, huh? Never seen a girl c-cry before!" I stuttered, choking on tears. You had no idea how embarrassing it was to cry in front of three guys, especially David.

"I didn't think you were the crying type."

"After what you've put me through, I deserve to!" I cried. The tears streamed down my face, but I wasn't making noise or anything. I wasn't a loud crier like most girls.

The boys looked very uncomfortable and all looked away, coughing or shuffling their shoe on the gravel. I took this as my chance.

I ran.

They looked surprised when I took off and didn't get a second to react before I was gone. Crying while running isn't exactly the smartest idea in the world, but I had no choice. Already in five minutes, I had put David and the boys a good distance behind me.

Something was beginning to scare me, though. I was starting to get tired, emotionally and physically. I had felt like this before. When my mother died I got so upset that I ran away. I ran and ran until I couldn't run anymore. I remembered I had to stop on the side of the road because I got so upset.

I was getting like that again.

"_Keep going!"_ I told myself.

But I knew I couldn't keep it up for very long.

"_You have to keep going!"_

What would my mother do?

I wasn't even paying attention to anything in front of me until it was too late. He appeared in front of me like a ghost. I screamed and ran into him, falling to the ground. It felt like I had hit a rock.

I was disoriented and rubbed my head, groaning. The tears continued to fall from my eyes and down onto my clothes and I was shaking uncontrollably.

He leaned down and I tried to crawl away from him. Instead, he grabbed my arms in a tight grip and pulled me back up. I shook with silent sobs, avoiding eye contact.

"Cassidy, look at me!" he said sternly.

I shook my head fiercely, still crying.

"No! Just let me go home!" I cried.

"Cassidy!" he snarled and I was forced to look at him.

His eyes were angry and confused something that made me cry even harder. I was still afraid that he would kill me.

"Why are you crying? What was that back there, huh?" he demanded.

I shook my head, now hyperventilating.

"J-just let me go! Please!" I begged him, grabbing fistfuls of his trench coat. The material felt soft in my hands and I wanted to bury my face in it and cry.

He shook his head. "I can't do that, Cass."

"Why! Why can't you!" I sobbed, officially breaking down.

I was going into shock. Let's face it; I was a jumble of nerves.

"I just can't, Cass. Stop crying, okay? Just come back me," he said gently.

I shook my head. "No! No! I can't! I can't! I, I-" My legs shook and everything began to get dark.

Now it was my turn to faint.

000

**Oh noes! She fainted! Lol btw climbing a bar wire fence is **_**not**_** that hard, peeps! I've done it a million times before! R&R! Happy Halloween! Lol I'm being a vampire for Halloween! Obvious? I think so! What are you being for Halloween? Leave your answer in a review!**


	11. Chapter 11 Death and a carnival

**Okay, sorry if this seems a little rushed. I was trying to get this out as soon as possible! Enjoy!**

**000**

"David," I groaned. I rolled around, whining and crying out.

"David!" I groaned louder.

"Who the hell is David?" Carter asked.

My eyes snapped open to meet bright sunlight. I sat up quickly and looked around.

I was sitting on my bed in my bedroom.

_Home…_

"I'm home?" I asked, confused.

Carter snorted. "Where else would you be?"

I looked to my right to see Carter sitting on my dresser eating cornflakes. He looked around my room while chewing loudly on his special _farmer's_ breakfast cereal as he liked to call it.

I stared at him until he locked eyes with me.

"What?" he asked with a mouthful of corn flakes.

"Okay, one, why are you in my room? And two, why the heck are you eating cornflakes on my dresser?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Cornflakes are a good source of vitamins and minerals. At least that's what it says on the box…" he muttered.

I stifled as laugh. "No, I meant, why are you in my room, dufus."

"Oh. You know, I don't really know to be honest with you," he replied, shoving another spoonful of cornflakes into his mouth.

I shook my head. "So you were just watching me sleep?"

I nodded. "Pretty much. Who's David?" he asked again. I blushed.

"I don't know," I lied.

"Mmmhmm," he said doubtfully.

"Look, what time is it?"

"Nine," he said, looking at his watch.

I lay back down in bed and sighed, closing my eyes. It had all been just a bad dream.

"_A vivid one,"_ I thought.

I sighed again. At least I didn't have to worry about it being real.

I heard Carter's footsteps as he left my room.

"Oh, by the way, where'd you get that necklace?"

I froze. "What necklace?" I whispered.

"The one on your neck."

I looked down and there it was. The necklace I had put on last night.

I wanted to cry.

"_It wasn't a dream!"_

000

I stepped out of the costume store and looked around. The boardwalk was very different in the day than it was at night. During the day, the sun attracted what seemed like decent, nice people. I felt comfortable, but the thought that David might show up still lurked in the back of my mind.

"_If he shows up, I swear I think I'll pee my pants."_

The thought that all of last night had actually happened scared the living shit out of me. Plus, it was extremely embarrassing to think that I had started crying in front of David. Like he had said, "I didn't see you as the crying type."

I looked down at the shopping bag in my hands and smiled, momentarily forgetting the embarrassment. I had gotten together my costume for the _Get Bit_ booth and I must say, it was pretty kick ass! At home, I already had blue jean shorts, converse, and black tights, but I needed fangs, a shirt, and any other extra necessities.

I ended up buying those realistic looking Halloween fangs that you actually stick on your teeth, a black hair extension, dark makeup and blood red lipstick. I was still on the hunt for a special T-shirt that would look great in the vampire costume.

All day, I searched the boardwalk, looking in every store for a T-shirt. Nothing had really sparked my interest, until…

"Perfect!"

Inside one particular store, I could see a Ghost Busters shirt hanging on the rack.

"Please be my size!" I begged as I went inside the store to try it on.

The bell rang and I raced towards the rack, snatching it up before anybody else could grab it.

"Can I get you a dressing room?" a sweet voice asked.

I turned around to see a young girl about fifteen years old dressed in a flowered skirt and white camisole. Her chestnut brown hair was pulled back in a lose ponytail and she had glossy pink lips stretched up in a sincere smile.

"Yes, that would be great!" I replied.

"Okay, follow me!" She walked towards the dressing rooms and opened a door.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Cassidy."

She wrote my name on the little white board attached to the door and held it open for me.

"Here you go!" she smiled.

"Thanks," I replied and closed the door, locking it.

I slipped my shirt off, noticing the long scar that ran across the part of my hip that was exposed. I grimaced and tried to ignore it.

I pulled on the shirt and grinned, noticing how well it fit me. The classic Ghost Busters logo beamed back at me and I knew I had found the right shirt.

I took it off and put my yellow smiley face shirt back on. I opened the door with the material in my hand and walked out.

"Did it fit?" the girl asked.

"Totally!"

"Good! Can I ring you up now or are you still shopping?"

"Now would be great."

She nodded and walked over to the counter. I handed her the shirt and she scanned it. The price popped up on the screen.

"Okay, ten dollars, please," she said cheerily.

I took out a ten from my back pocket and handed it to her. She put it in the register and bagged the shirt for me.

"Oh, that's a pretty necklace!" she commented, looking at the teardrop. I glanced down and blushed, remembering who gave it to me.

"Oh, thanks! My, uh, my…friend bought it for me."

"It looks rather familiar," she said, scratching her head.

I raised one eyebrow. "It does?"

She snapped her fingers. "I know! Holly made that necklace, didn't she?"

My eyes widened. "You know Holly!"

She nodded. "Yeah, she lives in my neighborhood. She made my little sister a necklace for her birthday."

"Do you know if she's home?" I asked quickly.

She shook her head. "No, she hasn't been home since yesterday, sorry."

My heart beat faster. "Um, thanks anyways. Have a good day."

"You too!" she called as I walked out the door.

I sat down on a bench and put my head in my hands.

"Jesus Christ, what's going on?" I mumbled sadly.

I ran a hand through my hair and stood back up. It was twelve now and that's when my dad said to meet him at food court.

I let out a stressful breath and walked in the direction of my destination. I smelled the food before I saw it and my stomach grumbled.

"Shut up, you stupid thing!" I growled.

I spotted my dad and brother sitting at a table. Carter was stuffing his face with barbeque, but my dad wasn't eating anything.

"Dad!" I called, running over to him. He looked up and smiled.

"Hey, Cass, did you find what you were looking for?" he asked pleasantly.

I nodded. "Sure did." I handed him the bag and he looked through it with a pleased expression.

"Good, good. Do you want something to eat?" he asked, looking back up at me.

"Definitely! I'm starving!"

"Here," he said while handing me a twenty.

I tried to push his hand away, but he shook his head.

"Dad, I have money!" I protested.

"No, I want you to go get lunch!" he said sternly.

I sighed and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks, Dad!"

He nodded and I made my way towards a barbeque place.

Hey, a girl's gotta eat, right?

I read the menu and decided on a pulled pork sandwich. When I got my food, I sat down next to Carter.

"Hey, you comin' to the carnival?" I asked him.

He nodded his head and swallowed. "Yup. I'm gonna bring Jessie Whitehill and a few of her friends too," he said, taking another bite of his ribs.

I elbowed him. "Jessie, huh? How long have you been tryin' to get her to go out with you?" I teased.

He rolled his eyes. "Shut up."

I laughed and took a bite of my sandwich. It was great and calmed my ravenous stomach.

"So, Cass, what time do you have to be there tomorrow?" Dad asked.

I shrugged. "Eight or nine."

He nodded. "I'll be right back, guys. I'm gonna use the restroom."

"Don't miss the urinal. You know how bad old people's eye sight is," Carter laughed.

I shuttered. "Gross."

I went back to eating my sandwich and looked around the boardwalk. Tourists were flocking the stores, trying to buy their full experience in Santa Carla. I shook my head and laughed.

"What?" Carter asked.

"Tourists," I replied. He smirked.

"Dorks."

"Definitely."

I continued gazing around the hectic boardwalk until my eyes landed on a particular wall. It was filled with missing person's posters. I always tried to avoid that wall for obvious reasons, but this time I couldn't look away.

I was frozen to the spot.

There in the middle of all the signs was one poster that made my heart stop beating. It read,

_MISSING_

_Grant Scoaly_

_REWARD: $200,000_

_If found please call_

_881-564-9867_

A picture of grant sat right smack in the center.

I almost threw up then and there.

"Cass, you okay?" Carter asked, concerned.

My face paled and I clutched my stomach.

"You look kinda green."

"I'll be right back," I gasped and ran to the ladies room. I crashed down next to a toilet and threw up everything in my stomach.

"Oh, God," I whispered, "they killed him!"

000

I had had lots of success with my booth that night. Loads of people wanted pictures with me and my friend, Jessica. I called her up the day before and asked her if she wanted to do the booth with me and of course, she had said yes. Jessica was a freshman I used to tutor in eighth grade and we were pretty good friends. Besides, she made an excellent vampire!

I heard Jessica counting up the money we had made so far that night.

"How much?" I asked.

"$200!" she exclaimed.

"Dude, seriously?" I asked, amazed.

She nodded, her black curls bouncing back and forth.

"Yeah! We're pretty popular, Cassidy!"

We high fived. "Alright!"

"Excuse me? Can we get a picture with you?" I heard a woman ask.

We turned around to see an older lady with a young boy about eight or nine with long brown hair.

"Sure! Which would you like? A regular picture or a bite?" Jessica asked.

The lady shook her head. "It's not for me. It's for my grandson. Which would you like, Laddie?"

He stood shyly behind her leg. "Regular," he responded.

I smiled at him and held out my hand. He hesitated for a moment and then took it.

"Alright, Jess, Laddie here wants a picture!" I said, smiling. He grinned at us.

"You look like real vampires!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"Thank you!"

We stood on either side of him and held our hands out to look like claws. We both did a fake snarl and our camera man, Dean, took the picture.

"Alright, Laddie! There you go!"

"Thank you!" he said.

"You're welcome! Happy Halloween!"

The lady smiled.

"Come back in thirty minutes to pick up your picture!" Jess called after them.

"He was so cute!" I gushed after they left.

"I know right!" She squealed.

The night carried on and we raised another hundred dollars. Now that the night was really picking up, most people wanted us to "bite" them. It wasn't real or anything and I actually thought it was kinda fun!

I smoothed out my hair and adjusted my shirt when I heard Jessica snapping to get my attention.

"What?"

"Look," she whispered.

I made the mistake and did it.

"David," I breathed.

"You know them?" she asked.

"Unfortunately."

They walked through the crowd and people cleared a path for them. Paul and Marko were pushing each other in a playful manner and Dwayne and David were silent.

"Quick! Turn around!" I squealed and pulled on Jessica's shirt.

"_Be careful! They killed Grant!"_ I reminded myself.

She did the same and we tried to stay unnoticed.

Unfortunately, some things don't always go as planned.

"So, you're into Halloween, huh?" I heard him ask.

I gulped and turned around slowly.

"Yeah. School function," I coughed, avoiding eye contact.

"So, you're a _vampire_?" Marko asked with a raised eyebrow.

I glared at him. "It would seem so," I hissed, still pissed about him taking Holly.

"Who's this?" Paul asked, circling Jessica like a predator. She swallowed nervously.

"Jessica," she said confidently, but her eyes betrayed her nervousness.

"I like it," Paul laughed.

Jessica laughed a fake laugh. "Yeah, me too," she said, looking at me for reassurance.

"Look, what do you want?" I asked nervously.

"A picture," David said, grinning a sly grin that scared the shit out of me.

I took a deep breath and worked up some confidence.

"I can only give you a regular picture," I said with my head held high.

He raised an eyebrow. "Why? I believe the rules are _bite anybody who wants it_."

_He wanted me to bite him?_

"Until you let me see Holly _and _Maria, all _special_ _privileges_ will be taken away," I said smugly, like a school teacher would say to a student.

He looked angry and the other boys looked uncomfortable.

"Is that a threat?"

"It's a guarantee," I growled.

"Now that I think about it, I don't want you to bite me," he bit back.

My eyes narrowed and I heard Jessica gasp. She put her hands to her mouth in horror.

"You did _not_ just say that, man," she whispered through her hands. Jessica knew about my bad temper and always tried to stay on my good side.

He snorted. "Yet another promise that you've broken," he growled.

"Hey, man, I _never_ promised that I would come with you! _You're_ the one that caught me off guard!" I hissed.

"Whatever," he growled and began walking away. His tone was very unsettling. I could see his hands were clenched into fists and the other boys looked nervous behind him.

The boys followed, but Dwayne was the last to leave.

"Sorry for last night, Cass," he apologized.

I was shocked. Like I had said, Dwayne _did_ seem like the nicest _and_ he defended me against Paul. "Oh, It's…okay, I guess," I mumbled.

"Look, don't take anything David says to offense. He really does like you," he said quietly.

I ran hand through my hair. "I wish he would act like it."

Dwayne shrugged and turned away, walking towards the guys.

"See you around."

It sounded like a promise.

Before I could say anything back, I saw all the boys turn around to look at me.

"I didn't think you'd do it in the first place just like you didn't come with us last night," David said loud enough for everyone to hear.

Paul laughed. "You're scared! Never thought I'd see the day, girl!"

I felt my temper skyrocket and my hands shook violently.

The boys turned back around, laughing, and walked into the crowd.

"Cass?" Jessica asked warily.

When I didn't respond, she waved a hand in front of my face.

"Cassidy?"

"I'm not afraid of _anything!_" I snarled.

"What are you doing?" she asked, scared, but I ignored her.

"I'm gonna make him eat his words!"

I ran straight towards him in a blind rage. Slicking my tongue over the sharp fake fangs, I grinned evilly.

"Oh yeah! THIS ONE'S ON THE HOUSE!" I shouted. And then I did something that surprised me.

I bit him.

He turned back around, holding a hand to his neck, surprised.

"What the fuck?" he asked, glaring at me.

"GOT WHAT YOU WANTED, DIDN'T YOU?" I shouted at him.

The boys looked dumbfounded and I found myself laughing my ass off.

"Cassidy! RUN!" I heard Jessica scream excitedly. I suddenly realized what I had done and took off into the crowd.

"_Take that, David!"_ I thought slyly.

Jesus, what was this guy doing to me?

000

**Cass is such a badass! Lol HAPPY HALLOWEEN! R&R!**


	12. Chapter 12 Hiding out

**Yes, I know this is very short, but it's a little transition chapter. Hope you enjoy!**

**000**

I sprinted through the crowds as fast as humanly possible. When Jessica screamed at me to run, I'd realized what I'd done.

_I bit him!_

I knew he would be coming for me, so I got a good head start.

"_Whatever you do, don't let him catch you!"_ I told myself.

The boardwalk was extremely crowded because of the Halloween Carnival, so I was forced to push people out of the way.

"Excuse me! Sorry! Pardon me!" I shouted at the people passing me by.

They glared at me, but I could no longer apologize. I had to get my ass moving and as far away from the boardwalk as possible. If he actually caught me, there would be no telling what he'd do. I shuttered as I tried to imagine the different sort of possibilities.

I ran past the railings, under the dim street lamps, beside the railings leading to the infuriated ocean. The waves crashed harshly against the sand, sounding as if they were upset by something.

The night sounds reached my ears, singing harmoniously to me, gently whispering in my ear tempting pleas to slow down and rest.

"_I can't,"_ I thought.

The strong breeze blew my hair from my face, allowing me to see my surroundings clearly. I stopped short, my heart beating quickly.

"This is not good," I whispered.

Without even realizing it, I had run into a secluded part of the boardwalk.

"Why does this _always_ happen to me?"

I slapped myself on the forehead and turned back around. I could see the crowd a little farther away and if I ran fast enough, I could make it back.

I picked up the pace and was soon able to see the crowd clearer. Relief washed over me.

"_I can make it back!"_

I ran along the edges of the railings at a fast pace, hearing my converse scrap roughly against the pavement. My leg started to ache then, in the tender place where I had gotten the bone extension a few years back. I hissed in frustration as waves of pain washed over my hip.

"Damn it," I growled. I was forced to slow down and upon doing so I saw something frightening.

There, not twenty feet in front of me, was the colorful jacket of Marko. A few feet to the left, Dwayne's dark hair was visible and behind him, Paul's chains could be heard from all the way over here.

My heartbeat accelerated. I knew exactly what they were doing. They all had the same expression on their face as David did when he was watching the crowd.

_They're hunting me._

I stopped running, nearly vomiting out of fear.

"Think of something quick, Cassidy!" I whispered anxiously to myself.

My eyes darted back and forth over the boardwalk until…

There! The beach!

I could hide underneath the boardwalk and wait until they had given up. It might take all night, but it was worth it.

Swiftly, I grabbed a hold of the railings and swung myself into the sand. I gritted my teeth when my bad leg hit the ground.

Quietly, I ducked under the railings and hid myself as far back as I could possibly go. I sat down in the sand and tried to even out my unpredictable breathing. Before I knew it, ten minutes had passed by just like that.

I ran my fingers through my hair to distract myself, but froze when I heard the sound of voices.

"Over here, bro!" Paul called.

"I don't see her!" Marko answered.

"I can smell her. She must be close," Dwayne growled.

They could _smell _me?

Heavy footsteps resonated above me and my hands began to shake in fear.

_What would they do to me if they caught me?_

"I can smell her over here!" Marko called from far away. Soon, the footsteps of the others followed.

I let go of the huge breath I had been holding and massaged my temples.

Was it safe to go out now?

I glanced around underneath the railings, but decided leaving wouldn't be the best option. So instead, I leaned my head back against a wooden support and closed my eyes, keeping my ears open to any sound. Darkness surrounded me and slowly but surely, lulled me into a little doze.

My head snapped up when I heard footsteps. My heartbeat picked up as they became muffled by the sand. Chains jingled in response and I shrunk back against the support. A shadow appeared in front of me, but no living creature was present to claim it.

I didn't dare speak out.

I sat there, frozen to the spot as I watched and waited for the shadow to move. Eventually, it receded until it had all together disappeared.

"_Must have been someone else,"_ I thought.

I relaxed and stood up. I hesitantly glanced around the corner, but there was nothing to be seen.

I sighed in relief and turned back around.

I screamed, but a hand covered my mouth before it could travel up towards the boardwalk.

"I wouldn't scream if I were you," David growled, his blue eyes ablaze with anger.

I stood, paralyzed in fear.

"Screaming will get you nowhere with me, Cassidy. It'll only upset me more."

**000**

**Oh snap! So dramatic, aren't we David? Lol please R&R! Tell me what you think!**


	13. Chapter 13 The teasing edge

**Already, peeps! The greatly anticipated chapter 13! I hope you guys really enjoy this chapter! **

**000**

I stared into his blue eyes and wanted to cry again. I was scared about what he was going to do to me. We stood there for the longest time, watching each other. His hand was still over my mouth, so I couldn't exactly say anything.

"You're not going to scream this time, right?" he growled.

I nodded slowly and he released his hand from my mouth.

I looked down, embarrassed as hell at what I had done. I mean, let's get real, it's not every day you go up to someone and bite them.

My cheeks burned, though I was sure he couldn't see it in the surrounding darkness.

I stood there awkwardly, shuffling my foot in the sand like a scolded child.

At last I spoke up. "Look, I-"

"Don't apologize," he snapped and I shrank back.

"Well, what do you want me to say? You got what you asked for, didn't you?" I asked.

There was a stalemate between us. We didn't talk or even move, and I waited for him to say something.

He smirked, his _moodiness_ finally disappearing. "I guess I did. The only thing that I don't understand is why you ran…_again_."

I blinked. "Well, I thought…"

He raised an eyebrow. "You thought…?"

"I thought you were gonna…oh, I don't know, do something drastic."

"Like what?" He sounded offended.

"Is this just interrogate Cassidy night, or what?" I growled.

"Well, it wouldn't have to be if you just answered the question," he said harshly.

I glared at him. "Well, from past _experiences _with you, David, to say the least, I didn't expect you to jump up and down with joy," I snarled.

His eyes narrowed. "So, what, you thought I'd come after you?"

"You've already succeeded in that," I said in a smart ass tone.

He growled. "I meant _violently_."

"Well, considering the fact that you've got me trapped under here is a step towards violence."

He shook his head and I felt extremely stupid again. "I came here for an answer."

"And you got one," I snapped.

He laughed bitterly. "Not the one I was looking for."

I looked at him with a confused expression.

"Oh?"

He nodded. "I was going to ask you earlier, but you assumed I was there for something else, so I went along with it."

I felt my face burn. He _hadn't_ really been there for a bite, like I had thought! Jesus, I was so stupid! This went against everything I was, honestly! I wasn't raised to _attack_ people for Christ sakes!

"Oh, man… I feel horrible now!" I cried out in embarrassment.

He smirked, amused.

"I mean, I just _bit_ you for nothing!" I slapped my forehead. Was I an idiot or what?

I looked at his neck and saw the bite marks. They were purple and bruised, and I couldn't help myself. I reached up and gently touched the bite marks in a surprisingly motherly gesture. They felt swollen and I pulled back quickly.

I put my hands across my mouth in embarrassment. "Jesus, I'm so sorry! You only came to ask me a question and I bit you!" I cried, my voice muffled by my hands.

He laughed quietly. "If I'm going to get this much sympathy for you, I should get hurt more often."

I smacked him on the arm. "This is serious, David! I bit you!"

"So?" he asked, amused.

"Does it hurt as bad as it looks?" I asked, horrified with myself.

He shook his head and laughed quietly. "No, why would it?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure I broke the skin!"

"It's just bruised. Don't worry about it."

I shook my head, ashamed of myself. "This is totally not me…" I muttered.

I thought of something embarrassing, then, but I knew I had to ask it. It would bother me constantly if I didn't.

"Look, you're not gonna lie and tell anybody we made out right?" I asked bluntly.

He looked taken aback. "Why would I do that?"

"Well, it kinda looks like I gave you a….." I trailed off, embarrassed.

"Gave me a hickey?" he finished, snickering.

I coughed. "Um…yeah."

Indeed, the bruise looked like a hickey. It made me even more ashamed of myself.

"You don't have to worry about that. I'm not _that_ bad of a person," he laughed and my cheeks turned bright red.

Remembering that I still had the fake fangs in, I quickly slipped them out of my mouth and put them in my pocket.

"Not gonna need those anymore," I muttered.

I saw him look down at my "costume" in amusement.

"School function, huh?"

I nodded. "Yeah, pretty embarrassing, right?"

He smirked. "Well, I wouldn't use _embarrassing_ to describe it."

I swallowed nervously. "Thanks, I guess."

He laughed. "Why do you get so nervous, Cassidy? It's not like I'm going to _bite you_," he said teasingly, pulling out a cigarette pack from his pocket.

I cleared my throat, but chose not to respond. I just watched him in curiosity as he lit a cigarette, the small flame becoming the only light source besides the moon. It turned his hair a dark ash color and I felt the need to run my hands through it.

"So, can I leave now?" I asked hesitantly.

His good humor disappeared and he frowned. "No."

"What?" I asked, getting scared again.

"I said _no_."

I glared at him. "So what do you expect me to do?"

"I expect you to keep your mouth shut for five seconds and follow me," he growled, walking onto the beach. I ducked underneath the railings and followed him.

_Great, I've woken up the bear again._

"Wait a second!"

He ignored me.

"Wait!" I called again, running after him.

He didn't respond. I could tell he was enjoying this.

"Don't you ignore me, David!" I shouted. He still didn't listen.

"If you don't answer my question _I'm gonna run_!" I threatened.

"If you run, I won't be so nice next time," he growled, turning around to face me.

I stood there with my hands on my hips, glaring at him. "Oh, yeah? Is that supposed to make me _scared?_" I asked in a mocking tone.

His expression was infuriated and he growled. "Cassidy," he warned.

"You're not my dad, so stop acting like it!" I snapped, taking a quick step back. He took a step forward, his hands clinched into fists.

"Cassidy, I swear to God, if you run!" he snarled.

"You'll do what? I'm _dying _to know, David!"

I was beginning to wonder if I was bi polar or not. First, I was frightened, and now I was confident? What was up with me?

He advanced towards me and I skipped backwards. He growled and I smiled a teasing smile.

Suddenly, he stopped moving, his eyes trained on something behind me and smirked, taking a drag from his cigarette.

"You can run, but you won't get very far."

I kept walking backwards. "Why?"

I bumped into something and froze. Slowly turning around, I came face to face with Paul, Dwayne, and Marko. I swallowed loudly.

"That's why," I whispered.

"So what were you saying about running?" David asked.

I cursed under my breath and crossed my arms. "You're not going to drag me back again, are you?"

Dwayne shook his head and Paul grinned.

"_I'll_ drag you back, if you want!" Paul said. Marko laughed and I blushed.

"Paul," David growled. Paul shut his mouth quickly.

I sighed. "Where are we going, then?" I asked, accepting defeat. I was surrounded…again.

"Our place, baby!" Paul said loudly.

What was up with them and wanting me at their place?

I turned back around towards David, but found he was already walking away. I sighed and followed him.

The boys were horsing around behind me and I tried not to laugh. Something about twenty year old boys _playing_ with each other was just plain amusing.

"So, you guys know I was right below you earlier, right?" I asked, amused.

The boys stopped harassing each other and stared at me.

"Yeah, we knew," Marko said.

"Then why did you walk right by me? I thought you were after me?"

He shrugged, his eyes darting forward to look at David. I didn't miss the quick glance.

Paul came up to me and whispered in my ear. "Just between you and me, girl, we weren't _supposed_ to find you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

He shrugged. "Boss's orders."

"By the way, who was your friend?" he asked, changing the subject.

"The other vampire?"

He nodded.

"Jessica."

I wanted to bring up Maria to him, but decided against it. I didn't want to upset them any more than they already were.

"I liked her outfit," he purred. I rolled my eyes.

"Of course you did, Paul."

The Halloween Carnival was still going on, but we avoided it entirely. I didn't want to run into Jessica again.

"_How long do they expect me to stay at their place?"_ I thought.

I hoped not long.

Paul started laughing then and all of us stared at him with confused expressions.

"What the hell are you laughing at, man?" Marko asked.

"Just something I remembered!" he laughed.

"Mind explaining?" I growled.

"The way you took off running down the road the other night, Cass! I thought I was going to piss my pants!"

My face flushed. "What was so funny about it!"

"The look on your face was priceless!"

I huffed angrily and crossed my arms.

"Aw, come on, Cass! You're the fastest runner I've ever seen, I'll give you that!"

"My face is _not_ funny!" I growled.

He held his hands up. "Nobody said it was! Just your expression!" he laughed.

I frowned and walked towards the front with David. He was the only one not laughing at me and I appreciated it, even though I was still pissed at him for ignoring me.

See? There goes the whole bi polar crap again.

After awhile, I could hear the boys whispering, probably about me. I turned around and glared. The whispering stopped. Paul looked up and grinned at me. I rolled my eyes and turned back around.

We had arrived. Their motorcycles sat waiting for the boys to hop on and ride them, gleaming in their absolute glory. They were magnificent bikes to say the least and I found myself eager to ride one.

The trouble was, _whose_ would I ride?

David was already on his, watching my reaction very carefully. I avoided eye contact, instead starring at my shoes.

Marko, Dwayne, and Paul mounted their bikes and looked expectantly at me.

"So…who am I riding with?" I asked after a few minutes.

Marko snorted.

"Like you even have to ask," Paul whispered, almost too quiet for me to hear.

I blushed and quietly walked towards David. He smirked as I grabbed his shoulder and swung my leg around the bike. I sat comfortably behind him and heard the boys snicker. I glared at them and rolled my eyes.

"Grow up," I grumbled.

I heard David laugh quietly as he revved the engine and the boys did the same.

"You might want to hold on tight, Cass," David said. I sighed and slipped my hands around his waist, noticing the strong muscles underneath his shirt.

"It's time to party!" Paul screamed loudly.

We raced off towards the beach and I watched in amusement as people jumped to the side to avoid the bikes.

We rode past the bright carnival lights and I noticed all kids that went to my high school staring at us. Chloe Greenman, the head cheerleader, stood staring at me with her mouth gaping open. I waved and laughed as she glared at me.

"That's right, bitch! Who's got the upper hand now?" I shouted in her direction. Obviously, Chloe and I didn't get along.

The kids around her laughed and she shouted something at me, but it was lost to the wind as we drove by.

We raced down the boardwalk stairs and onto the beach, sand spitting out from the wheels. The boys screamed and laughed, shouting things into the night air. They raced in wild swerves, every once in a while daringly reaching out and tugging on my shirt.

I laughed. This was incredible! Fantastic! Unbelievable! Why had I never done this before!

Soon, we reached the edge of a thick forest. I gazed at it, confused.

"Why are we going through a forest?" I asked loudly.

"Quickest way to our place!" David responded.

We sped through already blazed trails, twigs brushing harshly against my arms and face. I was forced to bury my face in David's back to protect my eyes. I smiled against his coat, secretly enjoying this ride.

"_This is what I've wanted,"_ I thought.

What I've wanted, but I knew I could never have.

Think about your friends! _That's_ why you're here in the first place!

I was undoubtedly torn. I wanted to get closer to David (if that was actually possible) but I needed to protect my friends.

_If they're even alive…. _

"Don't think about that," I whispered to myself.

We hit a bump and I gasped out loud, broken away from my thoughts.

"You okay?" David asked.

I nodded against his coat.

"Come on, Cassidy! Look up!" Marko shouted.

Paul howled at the top of his lungs and Dwayne screamed like a wild animal.

I slowly peaked out from behind David and screamed.

There was a cliff!

"David! DAVID STOP!" I screamed.

He laughed like a mental patient and sped up.

Then, we reached the edge…

**000**

**DUN DUN DUN! As you can tell, I love leaving you guys with cliffies! MUHAHAHAAHAH! Lol please R&R!**


	14. Chapter 14 The cave secret

**Hey, hey! I know this isn't the longest chapter ever, but the next one will definitely be lengthy…I hope lol. I hope this chapter isn't a disappointment to anyone! Again, thanks to all my reviewers, especially CarvedKid for reviewing TWICE on chapter 13! You rock my miss-matched socks off! Lol sorry, it took forever to get this one out! I was on a horseback riding trip all day yesterday and I saw my friend's dog fall off a 30 foot cliff! Then, I had to lead the group back to the barn for two hours through the woods…yeah I had an interesting weekend….**

**Disclaimer: You know, I really hate these things! Obviously I DON'T own The Lost Boys and if I did well, I wouldn't be on here writing this story, I'd be off having fun with my boys! So yeah, get over it 'cause there's a reason why it's called FANFICTION…**

**:D**

**000**

I screamed loud enough the wake the entire country and clung to him fiercely. I buried my face into his back and closed my eyes, wishing for it to be over.

Then, we jolted to a stop.

I managed to peak out and saw that the bike was perched precariously on the edge of the cliff. I was in extreme shock and hid my face again, resisting the urge to cry.

All around me the boys were laughing their asses off.

They howled like wild animals and that scared me even more. I sat there, shaking uncontrollably and whimpered like a small dog.

"Cassidy!" Paul shouted.

"Come on, Cass! It wasn't that bad!" Marko called, laughing.

"Cassidy!"

"Cassidy!"

"Cassidy!"

" Cassidy!"

They chanted my name over and over again in a ritualistic way. I felt them tug on shirt or brush up against me, but I still wouldn't look up.

I could feel David laughing and I scowled into his coat, despite my fear.

He tried to get up, but I still held on tight. He tried again, but I prevented him from standing.

"Cassidy?" he asked.

I didn't answer, only whimpered again.

"I think the _Great Cassidy_ is scared!" Paul laughed.

"Shut up," I growled, my voice muffled from David's coat. The boys laughed.

"Cassidy, do you want to get up now?" David asked, his voice teasing.

"Not if you're gonna do that again!" I shouted into his coat.

He laughed. "That part's over."

I looked up slowly and found all the boys looking at me with huge grins on their faces.

"What's so funny!" I snapped, quickly unwrapping my arms from his waist.

Paul shook his head and the others kept grinning.

David stood up, now able to move, and held out his hand. I took his hesitantly and got off the bike.

My body was shaking uncontrollably and David watched me cautiously.

I waved him off. "I'm fine, I'm fine," I muttered.

I watched in silence as the boys pushed their bikes somewhere out of my line of vision and came back with smug looks on their faces.

"So, why are we here?" I asked quietly, looking around. All I could see was the dark ocean and the clouds that covered the brilliant moon. The dull light washed over us and mist was enveloping the ground, making it hard to see where my feet were.

"This is the way to our place," Marko answered.

I looked around, confused. "Where?"

"Follow us!" Paul laughed, walking towards the edge of the cliff.

David led the way and I was stuck in the middle.

We walked towards what looked like the entrance of a hidden cave. It was dark and scary and I wondered what we were doing there as we made our way inside. I could feel rickety stairs underneath me and listened as they creaked and groaned under everyone's weight.

"Are you sure this is safe?" I whispered to whoever was listening.

"One hundred percent," came David's voice a little ways ahead of me.

I could feel the stairs getting steeper and steeper and suddenly I tripped, letting out a squeal of terror and nearly did a face plant on the ground. Someone caught my arm and hauled me back up.

"Thanks," I said to whoever it was.

They didn't respond.

I couldn't understand how they weren't having trouble getting down these stairs. I was beginning to feel very venerable. This was not normal coming from me, seeing as I've grown up on a farm my entire life and have experienced worse things than a creaky staircase.

"So you guys live in a _cave?_" I asked.

"Don't knock it 'till you try it!" Paul said.

And suddenly, the cavern was lit up. Fires burned inside huge metal bins, causing shadows to dance across the cave walls like enchanted demons.

All around the cave were things only children dream of.

There were scarves and cloths of brilliant color, dripping candles that gave off an eerie glow, scattered and miss-matched furniture, and _tons_ of assorted objects, too many to name.

It was like I was in a dream state! Words cannot describe how mind blowing and beautiful this place was!

I was speechless as I looked around the cave in wonderment.

"So what do you think?" I heard David ask.

I turned around to see him leaning on one of the walls and shook my head in amazement.

"This is… unbelievable!"

He smiled. "I thought you'd like it," he said with satisfaction.

All the other boys had resided to different parts of the cave. Paul was walking around on a huge fountain, Dwayne was sitting down on a couch with his feet perched on a wooden table and Marko was in a darker side of the cave, petting what looked like a pigeon or a dove.

"_Strange, I never thought Marko to be an animal person,"_ I thought.

I turned my attention back to my surroundings. This place had a very gypsy-like feel to it. All the cloths and coins and candles reminded me of something I hadn't thought about in a long time.

I picked up a multi-colored shawl and stroked it with my fingers, hearing the coins attached jingle like tiny bells.

"This is reminds me of my mother," I whispered tenderly.

All the boys looked up and stared at me in curiosity. By the looks of it, _mother_ was a subject that wasn't often discussed. I wondered if they even remembered their mother or had they forgotten? After all, they did live alone….in a cave….

"How come?" Marko asked, still petting the bird.

I looked up. "My mother's side of the family is gypsies."

Dwayne raised an eyebrow. "Gypsies?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"But _you_ don't look like it," Paul commented, picking up a boom box from behind the fountain.

I shook my head. "I know. My grandmother married a fair haired man from Georgia. My mother and I are the only girls in the family with blonde hair. The rest have black hair and brown eyes. Hard to believe, right?"

David looked at me strangely then and it made me feel as if I had said something wrong.

"Where exactly are you from?"

"Georgia. My brother and I were born there."

"So it's like your family's split down the middle, right?" Dwayne asked. From the way he said it, I could tell his family was the same. He looked American Indian, but then again, he was paler than most full bloods. He was probably mixed just like me.

"Yeah, it's a strange mixture. My dad's family is Irish and my mother's is Mediterranean. What's weird is, I've never met my mother's side expect for my grandmother. She was always around, bickering at my dad and brother. She didn't like me much either, I suppose, since she always bossed me around."

Paul shook his head. "An Irish gypsy. I think I like you more and more every day, girl!"

I smiled. "Yeah, I myself find it strange sometimes that I'm part gypsy."

"Yet, you're a _Farmer's Daughter_," David said.

I knew he was referring to my life style. I didn't acknowledge that I was part gypsy, only that I was Irish and I lived on a farm. Everyone knew me as _the little country peach_ and since my mother never looked Mediterranean, no one ever really suspected that I was anything else.

"And I'd like to keep it that way," I said sternly, setting down the shawl and moving on to the next object, a jumble of tri color necklaces.

"Where is your mom, anyways?" Paul asked, turning the boom box up just a hair. _Ain't It Fun_ by Guns N' Roses was playing quietly and the lyrics gave me the chills.

_Ain't it fun when you're always on the run?_

_Ain't it fun when your friends despise what you've become?_

_Ain't it fun when you get so high, well you just can't come?_

_Ain't it fun when you know that you're gonna die young?_

"_No, it's not fun,"_ I thought broodingly.

"Dead," I responded to Paul's question.

They all fell silent and for a fleeting moment, David looked shocked.

I ignored their stares and walked around the cave, looking in every dark crack and crevice.

"So you guys seriously live here?"

They all nodded and I smiled, relieving the tension that the previous conversation had brought.

"You guys are lucky. I would kill to live in a place like this!"

David smirked, looking, yet again, satisfied with my reply.

"I'm flattered," he said in amusement with his hand across his heart.

I laughed and all the boys smiled. My laugh seemed to lighten everyone's mood, much to my delight. I was honestly beginning to think that they actually liked me!

"You really do have a cool place," I said to David.

But before he could respond, another voice spoke up from a far off tunnel in the cave.

"Marko?"

Marko released the bird and I watched as it flew away towards the entrance.

Footsteps sounded throughout the cave and I stared at the dark tunnel in confusion. The voice sounded so familiar….

"Marko is that you?"

Marko's eyes lit up with excitement and another emotion I could not place. Perhaps….adoration or deep affection? He smiled and walked towards the tunnel, stopping just at the entrance.

I saw the other boys grin at Marko, obviously pleased with something.

"Who's making all that noise out there?" said the voice again.

Then, out of the darkness and much to my relief, came…

"Holly?"

**000**

**OH NOES! IT'S HOLLY! FINALLY, YOU'VE DECIDED TO MAKE AN APPEARCNCE MISS LAROUCHE! Lol so tell me what you think! I'm **_**dying**_** to know! **_**Ain't It Fun**_** when you get reviews?**


	15. Chapter 15 Change for the better?

**Yeah, yeah, I know I promised a lengthy chapter, but this one is of pretty good size! And I really like how it turned out, so enjoy!**

**Sunny**

**000**

I felt like crying I was so happy. Holly was okay! She was unharmed and alive and well! Everything that I had been hoping for was true!

Yet, what had I _actually_ been hoping for? That she would be terrified of this place and of the boys? That she would run to me with open arms and beg me to take her home?

Even if that's what I had been hoping for, none of it came true.

She was different to say the least. Not in physical appearance, but different in an emotional, mental state of being. She didn't seem like the peppy, exuberant girl that I had meet that day in her shop, no she was much different.

Her eyes seemed alight with something new, something fresh and exciting. They sparkled with an intensity to match the brilliant stars in the black sky and danced with mischief and cleverness, something that all boys seemed to hold in their gaze. When she walked, her strides were flowing and smooth, like the ocean on a calm day. She held herself different as well. She wasn't a little child anymore, not the same sixteen year old girl I had known. She seemed much older now, much more mature than the average adolescent.

Where had my Holly gone?

When she walked out of the dark tunnel, she didn't see me at first. The only thing she saw was Marko.

Her face lit up with a sweet smile to match his own and she skipped her way over to him, the strides seeming as though she walked with the grace of an angel. They didn't touch each other, but instead it seemed as though she molded herself to fit him. They were like the missing puzzle pieces, once put together, they were perfect and inseparable. It seemed as though he protected her, seeing as she stood a little ways behind him.

The gesture seemed natural, common and the other boys took no notice of it.

They carried on with a quiet banter, leaving me to feel left out.

I wanted to cry out, to try and catch her attention. She had changed and I wanted her back. But there was no going back, I figured out. There _never_ was in situations like these.

I was speechless, my voice caught in my throat. Surely she had seen me! Why didn't she look this way?

"_Holly, look at me!"_ I urged her in my mind.

But she didn't.

I hurriedly glanced at David in desperation, looking for some sort of answer. The silence from her was killing me inside!

It seemed as though he had read my mind, his blue eyes filled with a curiosity that could only be cured with answers. I could tell he had many questions to ask me as well. He turned towards Marko and spoke.

"Holly, we have a guest."

She turned her head in my direction and her eyes widened.

"Cassidy!"

I smiled weakly and waved. "Hey."

She rushed over to me, her feet barely even moving it seemed. Her arms wrapped around me fiercely and the embrace seemed like a thousand needles had pricked my skin. She was stronger than I remembered and her hug wasn't exactly a _pleasant_ surprise.

"Cassidy, I've been so worried!" she said into my shoulder.

"About what?" I asked.

She looked up, her expression clearly screaming _are you serious?_

"You, of course!"

"Why me? I was worried about you!"

I could feel the anger welling up inside of me. She didn't even act like being _missing_ for three days was a big deal!

"Me?" she asked, confused.

I pried her arms from around me, now in a state of aggression.

"Well, yeah, Holly! First, you get up and leave me on the beach then you have a panic attack and faint! I take you to my house and you're _once again_ kidnapped and I don't see you for three days!" I growled, my volume level rising.

She shook her head. "I was fine," she whispered, stealing a glance at Marko.

I snorted. "Well, it would have been nice to know that. I could have saved a lot of energy looking for you," I growled, turning away from her.

"You were looking for me?" she sounded surprised.

"Yeah, I guess that's what friends do, Holly," I sneered.

I didn't mean to be an ass, but come on! She was completely fine and she never _once_ thought about telling me?

She shook her head. "I…I… I didn't mean to keep you in the dark, Cassidy, I just…."

"You just what?" I growled.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, unable to explain.

I ran a hand through my hair, flipping my curly bangs into my eyes and sighed.

"Yeah," I whispered.

She backed away from me, making her way over to Marko again. His hands found her waist in an affectionate gesture and I felt my cheeks burn in jealousy. Not that I had a thing for Marko or anything, but after just _three days_ of knowing him, it seemed Holly had built up a stable relationship.

"_And I've known David for, what, two, three weeks?"_

I was beginning to think that the _higher power_ really hated me.

It took a few minutes, but I finally put myself back together. I smoothed out my shirt and pushed my bangs back, avoiding eye contact with everybody in the room.

"Well, this was hardly the reunion I was expecting, but I did get what I asked for. So, thank you, but I think I'll be leaving now," I said quietly, walking towards the stairs.

Their expressions turned to anger and they all stood up straight. Holly looked scared and hid behind Marko.

David shook his head. "I don't think so, Cassidy."

The boys growled and I held my hands up in surrender.

"Alright, alright, calm down! I'm just going outside for a few minutes, okay? I'll come back if it makes you guys happy," I said, snorting.

They all relaxed after a few moments of silence, but their gazes were still cautious.

I watched them all carefully as I walked up the stairs. Never once did their eyes leave mine, reminding me that I most likely wouldn't be leaving any time soon.

The ocean air hit me head on and I took it in with a long breath. Outside, the atmosphere was calm and soothing, something my nerves greatly appreciated. I walked in circles for the longest time, trying to decide whether or not what just happened was actually real.

Holly had changed in a way that was irreversible. I don't know how and I don't know when, all I know is, she's not the same Holly that I had only just talked to three days ago.

Could a person really change that drastically in that short amount of time?

I shook my head and starred at my torn up converse. It was stupid of me to put on shorts, and even though I had tights on, my body was still shivering like a small, rabid animal.

I walked to the edge of the cliff that, only moments ago, I had nearly fallen off. I kicked a few small stones off the edge and watched them drop towards the black ocean.

"I wonder where you end up?" I said quietly to the rocks.

I heard my mother's voice clearly as the memory came flooding back to me.

"_Where do we go when we die, mama?"_

"_All good people go to heaven, baby."_

"_What happens to bad people, mama?"_

_A moment of silence filled the room._

"_They go someplace bad, Cass."_

And now, I couldn't help but feel as if I was a bad person. I was always afraid as a child that I would go to _the bad place_ when I punched my brother for calling me girly, cheated on monopoly, or stole a sucker out of Max's candy jar when he wasn't looking. All of that was minor compared to what I felt I had done now.

What had I done?

Well, think about it. I just treated my friend like crap when she tried to apologize and the bible says forgive all, right? I coveted the very thing I knew I couldn't have _and_ I lied to my dad about this whole situation.

You know what they say: Three strikes and you're out!

I looked up to the heavens and smirked.

"I'm screwed, aren't I?"

000

I sat on the edge of the cliff, my feet dangling in the air. I had been out here for half an hour and now I was beginning to wonder what David was doing.

Did he think I ran again?

Obviously he didn't if he hadn't come out here yet.

I closed my eyes and leaned back, lying on the ground.

"_This is nice, just me and no one else."_

Yet, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of loneliness as I sat out here in the dark.

I fiddled with my hair, twirling it around my pinky finger. The curly blonde locks were a constant reminder of my mother, seeing as she had had the exact same hair.

I opened my eyes and stared at the stars.

"Are you in heaven, mama?" I whispered to the moon, feeling like a child again.

"Who are you talking to?"

I turned my head, startled, to see David. He was standing just a few feet away watching me with a curious expression.

"How long have you been standing there?" I asked him, turning my head back around to look at the stars. The ground was a cold, but welcomed shock back into reality.

He shrugged. "Ten minutes."

I sighed. "I was talking to my mother," I said quietly, answering his question.

"Your mother?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

I nodded. "Yeah."

I heard him walk closer until I could see his boots out of my perpetual vision.

I tilted my head up to look at him and smiled sadly.

"I know it's crazy, but I used to talk to her all the time when I was little."

"How old were you when she died?" he asked.

I winced. "Ten."

He was silent for a moment, so I began talking again.

"I used to run out to the cornfields at night and stare at the stars. My dad always told me that my mom was one of those stars, shining brilliantly in the sky and that she was always there for me whenever I needed her. I used to sit there and talk to her for hours on end until I fell asleep. Carter usually had to come bring me back home at three in the morning."

I saw him bend down to my level and I trained my eyes on him.

"But you know what the saddest thing about it all is?"

"What?" he whispered.

"She never talked back."

I looked up at him, a single tear rolling down my cheek. I closed my eyes as he wiped it away with his thumb.

"Do you want to go back inside?" he asked.

I shrugged, pushing away my sadness. If I wanted answers, now was the time to get them.

"That depends."

He raised an eyebrow. "On?"

"Two things."

"And they are?"

"One, if I feel like being a good girl and letting you get your way."

He smirked and held out his hand. I took it and let him pull me to my feet.

"And two, if you give me answers my questions."

He looked uncertain for a moment before his normal look of arrogance returned.

"That all depends on what the question is," he growled.

I crossed my arms over my chest and gave him _the stare_.

"Where. Is. Maria."

I almost laughed at his expression.

_Busted…_

**000**

**Awwww… she misses her mom so much! Hey, are any of you familiar with Wolf's Rain? I just re-watched some episodes again and was reminded how much I really love that show! **

**Hope all is well! Please R&R!**

**Sunny**


	16. Chapter 16 Saying goodbye

**Okay, so I tried to make this chapter interesting. Sorry to those of you who think the last few chapters have been boring. I sincerely apologize and hope this chapter is more interesting than the last few. **

**Special thanks to CarvedKid for being a HUGE support to me! Without you, I probably would have stopped writing the story a long time ago.**

**Enjoy!**

**000**

His face drew up into a snarl and his eyes glinted dangerously.

"I've let you see Holly! Isn't that enough?"

Every time I asked about this, he became defensive and I was beginning to wonder why.

I sighed. "Look, I just want to know where my friend is. You've let me see Holly and I'm grateful for that. If you let me see Maria, then I promise I'll leave you alone and never ask about it again."

He calmed down a little, but still looked angry.

"I'm not asking you to stay away from me, Cassidy."

I shook my head. "But you want me to stop asking questions, so give me the answers."

He was silent as he stared at me for the longest time. His stare was penetrating and I began to get nervous.

What was he thinking about?

"Please, I just want to see Maria again," I pleaded.

Then, out of the blue:

"You haven't told her yet?"

I turned swiftly around to see Holly, her eyes blazing with horror. Marko stood to her right, his features nervous and angry.

"Holly, this isn't the time," he growled, resting a hand on her arm.

She looked at Marko with an angry expression.

"Then when is, Marko?" she growled.

She walked towards me, putting her hand on my shoulder.

"Cassidy deserves to know, David!" she said dangerously.

He growled, but didn't answer. I saw Paul and Dwayne walk out of the cave and stand beside Marko, their features hardened with suspicion.

"I deserve to know what?" I asked, directing my question at David.

"What happened to Maria," Holly responded.

I looked at her, my heart racing. "You know what happened to Maria?"

But she ignored me. "If you don't show her, I will!" she snarled.

All the boys growled and Marko stepped forward.

"Holly!" he growled.

"Marko, it isn't fair to her! She needs to know!"

"Will someone please explain to me what's going on!" I shouted.

Holly directed her attention towards me. She reached out and grabbed my hand.

"I'm showing her, Marko, David," she looked at each one in turn, "whether you like it or not!"

David snorted. "Go ahead. It's one less thing I have to do."

I narrowed my eyes and Holly glared. "I will. Come on," she muttered, pulling me in the direction of the forest.

"Holly!" Marko called, but she ignored him.

We moved quickly, avoiding low hanging braches and deep undergrowth. We walked for what seemed like forever before she finally spoke up.

"I'm sorry, Cassidy. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you I was fine and I'm sorry for….for everything," she apologized.

I stopped walking. "What happened to you?" I whispered. Crickets sounded throughout the forest and the sound of waves crashing against the rocks was muted by the dense surrounding of trees.

"What do you mean?"

"You're different."

"How?"

I shook my head. "I…I don't know. You just are, Holly. I can't explain it."

Moonlight filtered in through the branches and dappled her hair, causing it to turn silver. She was a silhouette; the only thing showing was her eyes. The brown/green irises glinted with sadness as she gazed at me in the dark.

"I can't explain it myself," she whispered.

I pushed my bangs back in frustration.

"What's going on, Holly? I just don't understand anything anymore!"

She closed her eyes. "I know….neither do I," she whispered.

I shook my head, changing the subject. "Are you going to show me what happened to her, or what?"

She nodded. "Yeah, come on."

She picked up her pace again, darting in all different directions. I could barely keep up she was going so fast.

"Where are we going, exactly?" I asked.

"A little farther out."

We reached the edge of the forest and immediately hit the beach. It was about one in the morning, so there weren't many people on the boardwalk.

Holly glanced around the boardwalk, her eyes searching for something in particular. They found what they were looking for.

"This way," she said, tugging me forward. We cut across the sidewalk and into the open street. All the shops were closed and dark inside, giving me the chills. I looked up when we stopped walking.

"Look," she whispered.

We had reached the Missing Persons Wall. It was covered in sheets upon sheets of _missing_ paper with pictures of smiling faces. It was so depressing, staring at this wall and I tried to turn away.

"No!" she said sharply, "look!"

She pointed at one sheet in particular and ripped it off the wall.

_Missing_

_Maria Bell Miller _

_Address- 7809 Applewood Drive_

_If Found Please Call- 881-413-9834_

She handed the sheet to me and watched for my reaction.

I raised one eyebrow. "I know she's missing, Holly. I'm not stupid."

She rolled her eyes and pointed to the number. "Call it."

I dug in my pocket for a quarter and jogged over to the pay phones across the street with Holly following close behind.

I inserted the quarter, but froze before dialing the number.

I was suddenly terrified at what I would find if I called this number.

"What's wrong?" Holly asked.

I shook my head and proceeded.

The phone rang only twice before the voicemail picked up. The lady on the other line sounded like she had been crying.

"_You've reached the Miller household. We won't be taking any phone calls for awhile and we're sorry if we don't get back to you soon. We'll be in San Francisco for a private funeral, so please keep us in your prayers. Thanks."_

The phone went dead and so did my heart.

I put it back on the receiver slowly, and leaned on the booth.

"She's dead?" I whispered. The sudden truth felt like a two ton dinosaur had chewed me up then spit me back out.

Holly nodded. "I….I didn't know her very well. She and my sister used to hang out a few years back, but I remember her being very nice. I'm really sorry, Cassidy."

I slammed my hand on the metal booth, causing her to jump.

"Holly, what did they do to her?" I snarled, searching her eyes.

She shook her head. "I can't tell you," she whispered.

I shook her shoulders violently. "This isn't the time to defend them, Holly! Besides, you've only known them for three days! What's the use? Just tell me!"

She wrenched herself from my grip, her eyes blazing with anger.

"I can't tell you, Cassidy! And it shouldn't matter how long I've known them! Marko and I love each other and that's all that matters!"

I thought I was going to explode. "All that matters? Holly, Maria is dead! DEAD! Besides, you don't know what _love_ is, Holly! You're sixteen!"

Before I knew it, she pushed me fiercely. "You don't understand anything, so stop acting like it!"

I pushed her back. "What did they do? Tell me!" I shouted.

Her face turned a shade of purple. "If you want to know, why don't you ask David? I'm sure he'd be _dying_ to tell you!" she sneered.

And before I knew it, my hand came across her face.

She glared up at me through her hair, a huge red mark appearing on her cheek.

"Max was right; you're nothing but trouble these days."

I froze. "What did you say?" I whispered.

Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth with both hands. She started to back away, shaking her head in disbelief.

"What did you say?" I repeated.

"I-I-I didn't say anything!" she stuttered.

"Why were you talking to Max, Holly?"

She shook her head. "I wasn't!"

"You just said-!"

"No!" she shouted and took off running.

"Holly!" I screamed and ran after her. She zig zagged the entire boardwalk, trying to lose me on the way back. She kept looking behind her shoulder to see if I was still behind her.

"I know how to get back, Holly! There's no use in running!" I shouted at her.

"Shut up!"

"Just tell me what's going on!"

"NO!"

And she increased her speed, causing me to lose sight of her for a few minutes.

"Holly?" I called.

No answer. My converse kicked up sand as I ran along the beach looking for her. It seemed as though she had completely disappeared.

"Holly?"

A flash of green and blue raced through the corner of my eye.

"Holly!" I shouted and ran after her.

I ended up in the woods, still running, still screaming. I jumped over logs and roots, trying to avoid being tripped. Little animals scurried in the undergrowth and into hollow trunks, seeking shelter for the remainder of the night.

"Holly!"

The sound of footsteps on the earth resonated through my ears and I headed in their direction. A few times I got whacked by low hanging branches and was forced to stop. Eventually, I realized that I had finally ended up at the cliff.

_Holly sure knows her way back…_

No one was outside, but I knew exactly where they would be. I walked out into the open, fighting the urge to just lie down and give up.

"_No! Keep going!"_ I told myself.

I took a deep breath as I neared the stairway that led down into the cave. Voices could be heard inside and one in particular set my anger ablaze. It was Holly, shouting frantically down below most likely about me.

"_I need answers."_

I ran down the stairs, careful not trip and appeared in the main part of the cave.

Holly screamed upon seeing me, obviously surprised, and hid behind Marko. Dwayne and Paul were both on the fountain and David….

Where was David?

"Where is he?" I hissed, looking around.

"Just go away, Cassidy!" Holly said.

"Where is he!" I said angrily.

"What do you want _now_, Cassidy?"

I turned around and saw David standing right behind me.

My anger finally reached the max. Just seeing him made me furious.

"Maria's dead," I hissed.

"That much is obvious, Cassidy. I can't believe you didn't figure that out before."

I growled.

"Pity, I thought you were much smarter than that."

I reached out and pushed him. All the boys growled.

"Don't talk to me like that, David! I'm not an idiot!"

I heard Paul laugh quietly. I whipped around to face him.

"You! I should really be asking _you_ what happened to Maria!"

He stopped laughing.

"She was murdered," I heard David laugh.

"How is _any_ of that funny? Christ, she's dead!"

I squeezed the bridge of my nose with my thumb and forefinger.

"Why did you kill her?" I asked.

No response.

"WHY DID YOU KILL HER!" I screamed.

No one responded. I looked around in complete and utter astonishment.

"Do any of you feel remorse? I mean, first you kill Grant! Him, I can somewhat understand, but then _Maria?_ Why would you kill her? She was a great person! She never did anything bad to you!"

"So?" David asked.

My eyes widened and I thought I was going to throw up.

"So? You….." I stopped myself.

I backed away, shaking my head. "Never mind," I whispered.

I had suddenly realized just how much danger I was actually in. Being surrounded by killers wasn't the smartest thing for a girl my age.

"Never mind. I don't want any more answers."

They all looked surprised.

"It's obvious that you're never going to tell me what happened. Just….just do me a favor, okay?"

They looked at me, puzzled.

"Just stay away from me."

It was silent.

"I would really appreciate it if you just left me out of this completely. Just stay away from me."

"Cass," Holly began.

"No. I…I hope you're happy, Holly, but don't talk to me again. Ever."

I backed up slowly, shock quietly entering my brain.

I watched their expressions as I made my way up the stairs.

Holly was about to cry, Marko was trying to comfort her, Dwayne and Paul looked dumbfounded and David….he was furious.

Yet, surprisingly he let me go.

000

I knocked on my front door, praying to God that someone would answer. It was two in the morning after all.

I stood out there in the cold, feeling numb from head to toe.

What had I just done?

Suddenly, the lights turned on downstairs and I saw Carter come to the door.

"So the party animal's back, huh?" he asked, his voice heavy with sleep.

I pushed past him, nearly knocking him over. I sighed heavily and looked at him with remorse.

"Maria's dead."

His expression turned to one of shock.

"What?"

"Dead, she's dead."

"How?"

"She was murdered."

He shook his head. "By who?"

I paused. Should I tell Carter, the one person who always listened to me no matter what?

"I don't know," I sighed, lying through my teeth.

"How did you find out?" he asked quietly.

"I saw a Missing Person's flyer with her picture on it. I called the number and the voicemail said they were out of town for a funeral."

We stood there in silence, staring at each for the longest time.

"Cass, I'm sorry."

I shook my head. "I'll be fine. I'm going to bed."

"Okay, tell me if you need anything."

I didn't respond, instead climbed the stairs and opened my bedroom door.

Everything had been left the way it was before I went to the carnival.

_Nothing's changed…_

Like a zombie, I walked to my drawer and pulled out my sweat pants and a sweat shirt and put them on. I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and removed my makeup in the bathroom. I didn't even bother to look in the mirror. I already knew what I would see.

I tip toed down stairs and into the kitchen, turning on the lights.

"_I need a distraction."_

Carter was no longer downstairs and I didn't feel like waking him up again. Instead, I crept to the fridge and opened the door, letting the freezing air wash over me like a harsh wake up call. I grabbed the carton of vanilla ice cream and a spoon and sat down on the soft couch. The living room was dark and empty and I sat, drowning in my own depression.

"_I need a distraction,"_ I thought again.

So I turned on the TV and increased the volume so no one could hear me cry.

**000**

**Hope this chapter wasn't disappointing! Please R&R!**


	17. Chapter 17 Cass's Letter

**Okay, so this is a little treat for you guys because I'm taking a little break from writing…. When I say break I mean like two or three days lol**

**This is a letter that Cassidy wrote to her mom. She left it on her grave.**

**Enjoy!**

000

_Week 1 _

_November 1-6_

_000_

_Week 2 _

_November 7-13_

_000_

_Week 3 _

_November 14-20_

000

Mama,

Your death anniversary as come and gone and I can't help but wonder if you still watch me from heaven. Sometimes I feel so alone I think you've left me behind to find something greater. It's been three weeks since I told David to leave me alone and it's been the worst three weeks of my life. I've cried everyday for hours on end until I cry myself to sleep. I wake up in the morning and my face is swollen and red. I'm embarrassed to go to school because I know everyone sees I've been crying. It's hard to keep it all together lately and I find myself wanting to just leave everything behind and run away.

Mama, I hope Maria's up there with you and that she's alright. I still don't understand why or how she died, but I hope it wasn't painful. I tried to call her parents, but it seems as though they've picked up and moved. I wish I could do the same. Everywhere I turn, there's a painful reminder of you or Maria or worse, David. I see him constantly on the boardwalk, but he never looks my way. I know I should be happy that he listened me and left me alone, but I'm not. I find myself wanting to talk to him or at least share a meaningful glance, but he doesn't even grant me that. Whenever I see him, he looks fine and happy, the complete opposite of me. I'm beginning to wonder if he's better off without me.

I don't want to think about that though. I feel very sad inside whenever I do, so I try not to dwell on the thought of him. The task seems impossible seeing as he's all I _can_ think about. But, I'm so angry with myself for this. He killed Maria, or so it seems, and he killed Grant. I'm not sure I can ever forgive him for that, but he's all I see. Every night I picture him, going over his features like a map so I can remember him. Everything reminds me of him. He seems so confident and satisfied that I think that maybe I'm _not_ good enough for him.

Mama, I need your help. I don't know what to do and you're the only one who always understood me. If you can read this letter, please help me out here. Send in a good word for me or something of the sorts up there.

I need a blessing because I 'm in love with a killer.

Love,

Cassidy


	18. Chapter 18 Dream watchers

**Okay, well I'm back! And sorry if this seems a little rushed! I hope you like it! Like I told CarvedKid, this chapter's sort of a surprise and something I haven't done in a while! Enjoy!**

**000**

The night fell upon Santa Carla, but I had already been awake for hours before the sunset. I had done this for three weeks now, never able to sleep for very long. Something was bothering me immensely, something that I couldn't get off my mind for more than ten minutes at a time.

Cassidy.

I saw her face everywhere, and everything was a harsh reminder of my beautiful baby girl. I'll admit I missed her. I missed seeing her pretty face, I missed hearing her gentle voice, I missed the feeling she gave me whenever we were together.

But I'd never confess this out loud, never.

Besides the fact that I felt her absence like a rock crushing my heart, I felt angry. I was furious with myself for missing her and for _ever_ believing that she felt the same as I did. It was obvious that she held no interest when she told me to leave her alone and that made me angrier than anything. To know that I had wasted all that time trying to catch her attention and make her remember that one fateful day when she was eight was infuriating.

"_Why do you dwell on it? She doesn't care so neither should you,"_ I thought.

But that was much easier said than done. Cassidy wasn't someone that you forgot that easily.

"_David, you okay, man?"_ Paul's voice sounded in my head.

"_Fine,"_ I growled.

The sounds of the boys rising from their deep sleep echoed throughout the cave. I was relieved in way; now that everyone was coming out I would have a distraction from my thoughts.

I ran a hand though my hair and sighed. Getting up from the chair, I walked to the fountain. The cloth that Cassidy had touched three weeks ago was still sitting in the exact same spot where she had left it. The boys knew not to move it under silent instructions from me.

I reached down and picked it up, smoothing it out in my hands and brought it to my nose. Cassidy's scent was still there, though barely detectable even by me. A pang of sadness gripped my heart and I clutched the cloth tighter.

Who knew a vampire could miss _one_ person so much?

I sure as hell didn't see it coming, that's for sure.

The sounds of the boys came closer until they all walked out into the open cave. Paul and Marko were, as usual, horsing around with each other and Dwayne was quiet. He made eye contact with me and realization flooded his eyes. He knew I had been having trouble sleeping these past few weeks.

"_Again?"_ his voice sounded through my mind.

"_Yes, another day without sleep,"_ I growled.

"_You're letting it consume you, David."_

"_What else am I supposed to do?"_

"_Dude, are you still losing sleep?" _came Paul's voice.

"_Stay out of this, Paul,"_ Dwayne growled.

Paul put his hands up in surrender and rolled his eyes.

"_What are my options because I can't keep this up any longer?"_

"_Well, I assume you only have two, as it always is in these clichés." _

I nearly laughed, in spite of myself. He was referring to the strangeness of a vampire being so emotionally attached to a human.

"_And they are?"_

"_One, you can forget about her altogether and move on."_

I growled. That idea didn't exactly appeal to me.

"_Or, two, you could go see her and see how she feels."_

"_But you already heard her, Dwayne, she wants me to leave her alone."_

He shrugged. _"Then I don't know what to tell you, man."_

I growled and looked in a different direction. A separate pair of footsteps reached my ears and soon Holly appeared out of the tunnel.

She yawned and stretched gracefully, running a hand through her long black hair. Marko immediately ceased wrestling with Paul and walked over to Holly. She smiled at him and they walked over to the couch. He began playing with her hair as they sat down, parting it and turning the locks into tiny braids.

I saw Paul roll his eyes. "Chicks," he grumbled as he walked to the fountain and sat down.

But I watched in interest as Holly smiled and laughed while Marko whispered little things in her ear. I couldn't help but wonder if Cassidy would act the same?

Suddenly, Holly's eyes turned towards me and she stared curiously.

"_Do you want my honest opinion on this whole thing, David?" _

I didn't answer.

"_Do what you feel is right."_

I snorted and turned away, but secretly appreciative of Holly's advice. But how was that supposed to help me exactly?

I stuffed the cloth I had been holding in my pocket and stood up straight. Everyone suddenly became alert and watched my every move.

"I'm starving, what about you guys?" I said, smirking.

Paul jumped up excitedly and howled, clapping his hands together. Dwayne was already near the entrance and was making his way up the stairs. Marko stood up from the couch and gently kissed Holly on the lips. She blushed.

"Bye Marko," she whispered.

He grinned at her and she smiled back. I watched as they all left and went out into the open, laughing wildly in excitement.

I turned towards her to say something, but she beat me there.

"If you love her, then don't let her go," was all she said before walking back into the tunnel and leaving me to be alone with myself.

000

I watched the crowds eagerly, looking for something to satisfy my hunger. The boys were searching as well, their eyes scanning over the people of Santa Carla like a wolf would do with herds of deer.

A group of giggling girls walked past us, stealing quick, flirtatious glances at us. I was uninterested, but the boys seemed to be the opposite.

"I want the blonde!" Paul said.

"Brunette," Dwayne said quietly.

Marko was little more hesitant. The rest all had black hair. They probably reminded him a little too much of Holly.

"Dude, will you switch with me?" he asked Paul.

Paul rolled his eyes. "Only this once because you're my brother," he grumbled.

Marko nodded his head in thanks.

I honestly didn't care which one I got, they all seemed boring to me and for once I just wanted to get it over with.

"Which one do you want, bro?" Paul asked.

I shrugged. "I don't care."

They looked skeptically at me before averting their attention to the group of girls again.

Then we followed.

000

The girl's attempts to escape were getting weaker and weaker as I drained her. Her life source became nonexistent and she grew limp in my arms. I released her and watched as she fell to the ground, a blank expression on her face.

The sand around me was stained with crimson and the boys laughed and howled as they continued to feed on the defenseless girls. Paul built up a bonfire and they all began throwing in the bodies. I bent down to pick my girl up when suddenly something fell out of my pocket. I stared at it for what seemed like hours.

The cloth that Cassidy had liked so much, the one she had touched when she told us about her mother.

I picked it up, fingering it gently.

I knew what I had to do then.

Holly's words sounded through my head.

"_If you love her, then don't let her go."_

I stuffed it back in my pocket and began walking away.

"Hey man, where're you going?" Paul asked.

"Someplace. I'll be back in an hour."

000

I stood on her window seal, my hands gripping the lock. Luckily, she had left it unlocked.

"_Cassidy, you can be so stupid sometimes,"_ I thought.

I slowly opened the window, making sure not create any noise and quietly climbed through. I landed softly on her hardwood floor and stood there, checking my surroundings. No one had heard me.

I looked around the room, noticing all the little things I hadn't before when I had been here. This was definitely Cassidy's room. Little trinkets and picture frames adorned her drawers and tables and I went to pick one up. This particular picture was of Cassidy as a little kid and her mother.

_Her mother who's dead._

I could see clearly now that I had an up close picture of her mother that she was definitely Mediterranean. Her hair was blonde and curly, but her eyes were a deep chocolate brown and her features were sharp and beautiful, something you usually only found in Europe.

Next to her stood Cassidy, her blonde curls the same as her mothers. Her eyes were in direct contrast though and stood out like a sore thumb. The two looked almost identical and it was easily determinable that the two were related.

I placed the frame back on the shelf and looked around again. Her closet was open, revealing mostly plaid shirts and jeans, her bedroom door was closed, a poster of _The Doors_ tacked to it and her bed, which sported a red plaid bedspread. And underneath the bedspread, Cassidy.

I stopped breathing in fear that I would wake her. She looked so peaceful lying there, her chest moving up and down with her quiet breathing. Yet, something was quite wrong with this picture. It was her face, yes that was it!

It looked red and swollen and underneath her eyes were deep purple rings. Even in her sleep, she looked exhausted.

I felt worry creep into my heart. Why did she look so troubled and tired?

It took me a second to realize that her swollen face was a result of an excessive amount of crying. Why else would you look like that?

I was suddenly furious with myself. I was most likely the reason she had been crying and I knew I couldn't stop it.

How could I ever make it better for her? All I did was make matters worse.

"David."

I froze. Was she awake?

"David," she whispered.

I stared curiously at her.

"David, where are you?"

I remained silent.

"David?"

She tossed and turned in her bed.

"David, please don't leave."

She squirmed under the covers, suddenly beginning to whimper.

"David, please!"

I walked quietly over to her bed and watched in desperation as tears began to fall from her closed eyes.

She was crying in her sleep.

I couldn't handle it, seeing her so upset even in her dreams.

I put my hand on her cheek and gently stroked the side of her face. I wiped away the falling tears and she soon began to calm down until she finally stopped moving all together.

"David," she whispered before she was silent.

I stared at her, not wanting to let go in fear she would have another nightmare. She was hurting inside and in turn, that hurt me. I didn't want to see her like this, so upset and tired that she even cried in her sleep. I loved her too much to accept defeat and let her go.

I knew what I had to do now.

I would make it right. I owed her that much at least.

**000**

**Hoped you liked it! Please R&R!**


	19. Chapter 19 Discovery of a monster

**Ok, I BELIEVE THIS IS THE LONGEST CHAPTER YET! Yay! Okay, so I have everything planned out from here so expect EPICNESS! Lol enjoy!**

**000**

_I was standing on the beach alone. It was dark and frightening and the only thing I could hear was the ocean. The moon was full and the stars surrounded it, giving off an eerie glow to the sand. I looked around in desperation and confusion, suddenly at loss. _

"_Hello?" _

_It was silent._

"_Is anybody there?"_

_Suddenly, there came the sound of footsteps walking towards me._

"_Hello?"_

_I turned to my right and saw him, David. His presence was somewhat comforting, but his expression was not. It was blank, unreadable and it scared me._

"_David."_

_His eyes fell upon me and I shivered. They were emotionless as well._

"_David," I said again._

_But then, he turned away and disappeared into the surrounding darkness as quickly as he had come._

_I panicked and my heartbeat accelerated. I ran in the direction he had a disappeared to, but there was nothing._

"_David, where are you?"_

_I ran and ran in circles looking for him, nearly to the point of tears. Then, I smacked into something hard and fell to the ground._

"_David?"_

_His face became visible and soon the rest of him as well. He just stared down at me for the longest time before turning away._

"_David, please don't leave."_

_He stopped and watched as tears fell from my eyes. His expression changed to one of concern._

_Suddenly, he crouched down, almost like a predator and I gasped. Our faces were merely inches apart and he reached out his hand and stroked my cheek. I closed my eyes and sighed until the sweet surprise came._

_Our lips touched only briefly, but it was enough reassurance for me. _

"_David," I whispered._

_Ring!_

The bell for last period rang and I nearly jumped out of my desk. The dream from last night was still fresh in my mind and it was all I could think about today.

"_It was rather strange."_

I gathered my books and placed them in my messenger bag, noticing how heavy it was on my shoulder. With exams closing in, my bag was getting heavier and heavier. As I walked to the lockers, I noticed all the flyers on the crowded school bulletin board.

_Chess Club_

_Track Team_

_Basketball Tryouts_

_Romeo and Juliet signups_

_Poetry Reading_

I stopped and starred at the last poster. A few names were written on the sheet, some of them I recognized.

_Trish Maylayer_

_Andrew Carston_

_Kierra Reece_

_Abby Todd_

_Gigi Leeman_

_Griffin Yearwood_

_Destiny Meadows_

_Cadence Proven_

The last three surprised me. Three of the Goths on the poetry club? No offense to anyone, but I didn't think they were they type of people to like poetry.

"_Keep an open mind,"_ my mother used to say.

I shrugged. I already knew Griffin and Cadence and I had shared a few words with Trish and Kierra, so it seemed like a pretty nice group. Very laid back and gentle, something I felt my nerves needed desperately.

I read the description silently.

_Every Thursday after school in the library, come and read your poetry with us! We'll sit and discuss it for about 45 minutes and just hang out. If you're interested please sign up!_

I picked up the pen attached to the board and scribbled my name down.

_Cassidy Reeves_

Here goes nothing!

I smiled slightly to myself and walked back to the lockers. I twisted my lock around to match my password and heard the _click_ as it opened.

My locker was slightly a mess, something you'd expect to find in any senior's storage space. The books were piled on top of each other and various papers stuck out from the inside. I pulled the text books from my bag and set them on the already huge pile. I had already completed all my homework in study hall so I had no need to bring my books home. Besides, tomorrow was the last day of school before we had Thanksgiving Break.

The locker door slammed and I stood up, walking towards the front entrance. I sighed heavily, not ready to walk another two hours to get home.

I wasn't as tired today as I usually was and that puzzled me. Last night, I slept better than I had in weeks and I honestly wasn't sure why. But whatever it was, I was glad it happened. I needed my energy today because I had had four tests and one quiz. I was really beginning to think that my teachers hated me.

It was a bleary day outside. The clouds were gray and thick and the wind was blustery, constantly biting at my cheeks and turning them red. I slipped on my gray wool jacket and proceeded to walk home. The wind nipped at my exposed skin and I buried my face farther into my jacket.

"Why does it have to be this cold?" I mumbled.

I walked for over an hour in the cold, shivering like a small dog. I thought my hands were going to fall off it was so cold outside.

Every day when I walk home from school, I go past this little coffee shop that's right on the edge of the boardwalk. I usually never go inside except for days like this when I needed a _pick me up_.

I walked across the sidewalk and opened the wooden door. The bells jingled above the door frame and a rush of smells hit me.

_Nutmeg._

_Vanilla._

_Chocolate._

_Peppermint._

_Gingerbread._

_Sugar cookie._

_Cinnamon._

_Pumpkin Bread._

_Eggnog._

_Cream._

I took a deep breath, inhaling all the delightful smells. The shop was already decorated for Christmas and a large tree sat in the corner, all lit up and adorned with shiny red and white ornaments. Bells and bows hung on the wall and stockings with all the Employees' names on them hung by the small fire place. Christmas music sounded quietly from the back and I couldn't help but smile. Everything was garnished with sparkly Christmas decorations, instantly lifting my spirits.

I walked up to the counter and looked at the menu on the wall.

"Can I help you?" smiled a sweet looking girl with a red bow in her brown hair.

"Yeah, I'll have….a small pumpkin spice latté, please," I said cheerily. Yes, I said latté. Too preppy?

"Okay, that'll be five dollars and twenty six cents!"

I dug in my pocket and pulled out a ten. She broke it and handed me back the change.

I knew it would be about ten minutes before it was ready, so I picked a small table and sat down.

It was warm inside and I was slowly regaining the feeling in my fingers again. Suddenly, the jingle bells rang and the door opened, letting in a blast of cold air.

"Cassidy?"

I looked up and smiled.

"Hey, Griffin!"

Griffin Yearwood stood before me in tight jeans and a black jacket with fake fur lining the edges. Her auburn hair was pulled up in a loose, elegant bun and her chains hung down the side of her pants. Her boots were black and were, yet again, lined with fake fur. Her red lips smiled back at me and her dark hazel eyes shined with excitement.

"It's freezing outside!" she remarked, rubbing her gloved hands together.

"Tell me about it"

"Mind if I sit down?" she asked and I nodded.

"Of course!"

She sat down on the chair and took her gloves off.

"So what are you here for?" she asked, removing her coat. Underneath the heavy material she was wearing a black turtle neck sweater that hugged her body snugly.

I was a bit jealous of Griffin at the moment. She had a perfect body, perfect arms, perfect legs, perfect stomach, and perfect assets (if that doesn't sound too weird?). Then again, I remembered that Griffin competed in annual snowboarding competitions and practiced year round at a closed in arena. She had a perfectly sculpted body (though not model skinny. More…curvy), a result of all the hard work she did perfecting her style.

"I was freezing my ass off, so I came in here for something warm."

She nodded. "Me too. You walk home as well?"

"Yeah."

She turned around and pointed to the street. "I live down the road. What about you?"

"I live two hours away from school."

She grimaced. "You have to walk that far?"

"I know, it sucks right?"

"Totally, so what did you get?"

"Pumpkin spice latté."

"Ah. I think I'm going to get just a plain hot chocolate. I'll be right back."

She stood and walked to the counter, placing her order with the nice check out girl.

Meanwhile, I stared out the window at the bleary outside world. Unfortunately, it was beginning to get dark. It always got dark early this time of year.

"Knew I should have kept walking," I mumbled to myself.

The chair in front of me was scooted back and Griffin sat down again. She looked up at me and a sudden look of wariness crossed her face.

"Uh, no offense Cassidy, but you look like-"

"I just got run over by a bus?"

"Sorry, but yeah."

I nodded. "I know."

"What's going on, if you don't mind me asking?"

I shook my head. "Not at all. It'd actually be nice to have someone to talk to."

"Pumpkin spice latté!" something interrupted me.

I looked up and saw the checkout girl waving me over.

"I'll be right back."

I stood up, stiff from the cold and made my way over to the counter.

"Here you go!" she said cheerily.

"Thanks." I grabbed the steaming cup and sat back down with Griffin. I held the coffee in my hands for a few minutes to let it cool down a little.

"So, what's going on?" she asked, genuinely concerned.

I sighed and ran a hand though my hair. "Um, to be honest, I'm not really sure."

She laughed. "Well, I guess I can't really help you then!"

I laughed weakly. "Yeah, I don't think anyone can," I whispered.

She suddenly became serious. "Are you in trouble or something?"

I stared at her for a few minutes. "Define trouble."

"Cassidy, seriously, are you in trouble?"

"Well, yes and no."

"How can it be yes and no?"

"Well….."

"It's about those boys, isn't it?"

I froze. "How do you know about them?"

She snorted. "Everybody knows you hang out with them."

My eyes widened. "How?"

"Well, you _did_ drive by the carnival on their bikes, for one."

I slapped my hand on my forehead. "Right."

She leaned in. "So _is_ it about them?" she whispered.

I looked around in suspicion and leaned in as well.

"Yes."

She nodded. "I thought so."

I raised an eyebrow.

"I've seen you around school lately. You don't look the same as you usually do, you know?"

I shrugged. "So I've noticed."

"Well, there's been a lot of talk about you among the cheerleaders lately."

"There has?"

She nodded. "Apparently, Chloe Greenman is _pissed_ at you."

I snorted. "When is she not? What did I do this time?"

She shrugged. "She's just jealous that you hang out with them, especially that blonde one. What's his name?"

I grimaced. "David."

"Yeah, that's the one. Well, she thinks he's really hot and she's been trying to get his attention for _months_ now!"

I growled. "Well, that's a surprise."

She laughed. "She's just pissed that he gives you all the attention, I guess."

I looked away then, wincing. Attention was a thing of the past.

"Wait…."

I didn't look up.

"You're not _together_ anymore?"

My head snapped up. "We were never together!" I hissed.

She held her hands up, her dark lined hazel eyes widened in shock.

"Alright, alright! You were never together!"

I sighed. "Sorry."

"If you weren't together, then what were you?"

I sighed. "_I'm_ not the person to ask, Griffin."

"So, is this why you're so upset?"

"Well, that and my mom."

She nodded, but didn't bring the subject up.

"What happened between you two?" she asked, taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

I shrugged and took a sip of my coffee as well. "It's complicated."

"Try me."

I hesitated. "Well, we met a few weeks ago in Max's store. We hung out a little and, I don't know, I guess we just had chemistry? Wow that sounds stupid."

"Not at all!" she said, leaning in a little more.

"Some pretty weird things have happened, things I'd rather not go into detail about. Anyways, the point is, we're not speaking anymore."

"Are you sure you weren't together?"

"Why?" I growled.

"Well, Cassidy you seem pretty upset about it. I mean, look at you!"

"What about me?"

"Well, it's pretty obvious that you've been crying."

I groaned. "I knew it!"

She took another sip of her hot chocolate. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel bad or anything."

"Too late," I grumbled.

It was silent for awhile.

"So…."

I looked up. "So?"

Suddenly, the door opened again and in walked a familiar looking boy. I knew I had seen him from somewhere, but I wasn't really certain where.

"Griffin!" he called excitedly and ran to our table.

Griffin stood up and opened her arms wide. The little boy jumped into them, receiving a tight hug.

"Hey, Laddie! How was school?" she asked, setting him back down on the ground.

He smiled up at her, his long hair getting in his eyes. "It was good! I drew you a picture!"

"You did?"

He nodded. "It's in my backpack!"

"How about you show it to me at home, okay?"

"Okay!"

Griffin turned to me. "Cassidy this is-"

"You're the vampire from the carnival!" Laddie cried excitedly.

Something clicked in my brain. The cute little boy Jessica and I had gotten pictures with!

"Hi!" I smiled.

He held out his little hand and I laughed and shook it.

"I'm Laddie Thomson!" he said proudly, like it was an accomplishment to say his name.

"Hi, Laddie, I'm Cassidy Reeves."

Suddenly, he looked put out. "So you're _not_ a real vampire?"

I heard Griffin laugh. "No, Laddie, I already told you this remember?"

He sighed. "Yeah, but I was still hoping…"

I stood up. "Sorry, buddy, no fangs here," I said, smiling.

His face scrunched as he peered up at my teeth. "Yeah, no fangs…" he mumbled.

Griffin handed Laddie a ten dollar bill and gently pushed him.

"Go get something to drink, Laddie. It's freezing outside!"

He smiled and walked over to the counter.

I looked at Griffin with curiosity.

"So, that was _who_ exactly?"

"Oh! Sorry, Cassidy! Laddie's my brother."

"Your brother? But you have…."

"Different last names? Yeah, he's my half brother."

I motioned to the chairs. "I believe it's your turn to explain."

She laughed and sat down. "My mom remarried when I was nine and had Laddie a year later."

"Oh, what happened to your dad?"

She shrugged. "He took off on my seventh birthday. What a great present, right?"

"Oh, that's horrible! I'm so sorry, Griffin!"

She shook her head. "Eh, he wasn't that great of a dad in the first place. He was on "business" trips most of the time and usually only came home on holidays and birthdays."

"That royally sucks."

She snorted. "Tell me about it. What about your dad, what's he like?"

I smiled. "Oh, he's your average dad, I guess. We're farmers, so he's always home. We were really close when I was little and when I turned ten he let me help him and Carter out on the farm. He's a good dad, but sometimes he doesn't understand me, you know? Well I'm the only girl the house, so that's expected."

"The only girl? What about your mom?"

I sighed. I wish people would stop asking me about her.

"She died when I was ten."

"Oh."

I nodded. "Yeah, that's when my dad let me help out, you know? When she died, they needed extra help on the farm."

She sighed. "I'm not even sure if my dad's dead or not. I haven't spoken to him in over eleven years."

"I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "At least Laddie didn't have the _pleasure_ of meeting him. Laddie needs a real dad and Scotty is the perfect one for the job."

"Scotty?" I asked, slightly confused.

"Scotty's my step-dad, but I wish he was my real dad. He's great with Laddie and tried to adopt me a few years ago. I declined, of course."

"How come?"

She shrugged. "I didn't want him to have the responsibility. I thought it would put a strain on our relationship."

"Oh."

There was an awkward silence between us as the realization began to sink in. We really didn't know each other that well, but we had practically spilled the goods about our private lives.

Then, Laddie came running back with a steaming cup in his hands.

"What'd ya get, Laddie?" she asked him, smiling.

He grinned. "Peppermint hot chocolate!"

"Oh, feeling a little exotic today, aren't we Laddie?"

He giggled and shook his head, taking a sip of the warm contents of the cup.

Griffin patted his shoulder that, at the moment, was covered in a thick, blue coat.

"Ready to go home, Lad?"

He nodded and ran towards the door, careful not to spill the hot chocolate.

"I'd better take him home. It was nice talking with you, Cassidy!" she said happily.

I smiled. "You too! I'll, uh, see you next Thursday?"

She looked confused. "Thursday?"

"Poetry club?" I asked.

"Oh! You're in the poetry club?"

I nodded.

"Great! Yeah, I guess I'll see you on Thursday!" she replied and walked out the door.

Cold wind blew through, causing me to shiver. It was even colder outside now that the sun had set.

"Damn it," I growled under my breath.

From out of my messenger bag, I pulled a yellow toboggan. In the front was stitched a little smiley face that always made me laugh every time I saw it. As a joke last year, Carter had bought me this for my birthday. It actually turned out to be quite useful, especially on days like today!

I slipped it on my head and picked up my coffee cup. Finishing off the last of the warm liquid and I trashed the cup and pulled out a piece of gum.

It was a habit of mine. I always chewed gum after I drank coffee.

I peeked out the window and saw the fierce wind blowing all the colorful leaves in huge gusts. I braced myself and opened the door.

"Shit!" I hissed as the frigid air blasted against my face.

"Have a nice night, Miss!" the counter girl called. I turned around and forced a smile.

"You too!"

Stepping out of the coffee shop, I walked a little ways on the sidewalk. The wind nipped at my cheeks and bit at my bare hands.

Don't call me stupid for not wearing gloves, but I didn't anticipate the weather being this cold.

The edges of the boardwalk were sparse and I practically walked alone on the sidewalk. I rubbed my numb hands together and blew hot air on them, attempting to warm them up. It was no use though, the wind would not let up and in turn, my hands froze.

The moon was climbing its way into the sky and the stars became tiny lights surrounding it.

"What time is it?" I said out loud.

I didn't own a watch, so I had no idea.

"Dad's not gonna be happy," I muttered.

Usually, there were payphones all around the boardwalk, but I couldn't see a single one!

"Just great," I growled.

I kept walking, keeping near the bright street lamps in case anything happened.

When I looked to my right, I saw a man maybe a little shorter than me with a cigarette in between his lips and a leash in his hand. On the other end of the long restraining cord walked a white Scottish terrier with a little bell attached to his collar. It made a pleasant jingling noise and I changed direction and crossed the street towards the man.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

He looked up and smiled. He had gray hair and a sweet face that held two dull blue eyes.

"Can I help you?" he asked, his voice kind.

"Yes, could you possibly point me in the direction of a payphone?"

"Oh, certainly!"

He looked down the street behind him and pointed.

"Right down there is some payphones. They're right next to the newspapers!" he said cheerily.

"Thank you, sir!" I called as I walked towards the phones.

He waved and continued down the sidewalk.

When I reached the payphones, I pulled (yet another) quarter from my pocket and inserted the coin. I dialed my home number and waited as it rang.

"Hello?"

"Dad!"

"Hey, Cass! Where are you?"

"I stopped to get something to drink and ran into a friend. I might be home a little later than normal."

"Okay, just be careful, alright? Carter and I are gonna be gone tonight. We have to drive out to Baker's Farm and pick up some more sheep and cattle feed, so we won't be back 'till morinin'."

"Okay, have a safe trip!"

"Thanks. Love you, Cass."

"Love you too, Dad. Tell Carter he's a dork."

I heard him laugh on the other line. "I will. Bye."

"Bye."

I hung up the phone and smiled. Family. They were the most important thing to me right now. Well, they were the only thing I had left!

Suddenly out of the dark, I heard screaming. I jumped, nearly knocking into the booth.

"What the hell?"

The screaming grew louder and louder. It sounded like someone was being tortured.

I looked around quickly, desperately, but couldn't see anyone.

The screaming came again and again. It sounded like it was coming from the North. I ran in that direction, determined to help the person.

The sound was awful, like right out of a horror movie. There were several different screams, I now realized, and that made me run even faster.

I ran and ran until I reached the railings. The beach was down below, but all I could see was a bonfire.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!"

My head snapped around to face the scream and I felt my stomach churn with fear.

"Shit!" I hissed and ran down the stairs. I started sprinting before my feet even hit the sand.

Where was it coming from?

All I saw was the bonfire!

Wait! The bonfire!

Around the huge flames I could see people, lots of them, maybe about eight or nine. Half of them were running around screaming bloody murder and the rest…

"Jesus Christ," I whispered.

These strangers had blood smeared across their faces and clothing. They laughed sadistically and I felt myself go numb. They teased and played with the others, pushing them down or, like one just had, biting them! I looked closer and realized these people had… fangs? And their eyes were yellow!

They weren't people…they were monsters.

One suddenly ripped open the throat of a helpless victim and began drinking his blood! I gasped out loud and cursed myself.

Their heads whipped around and I nearly threw up right then and there.

Paul.

Dwayne.

Marko.

David.

All of them stood still, blood dripping down from their faces and entrails hung from their clothing. They looked infuriated and David snarled.

I put my hands to my mouth in horror.

This is a dream! It had to be a dream! Please God let it be a dream!

They dropped their victims and turned towards me, growling.

"Cassidy!" David said. His voice sounded feral and murderous, and I suddenly wished I had never met them.

I began backing away.

"Cassidy!" he snarled and walked towards me.

"S-stay away from me!" I shouted.

They all growled.

"You're monsters! MONSTERS!"

And then I took off running with David not far behind.

**000**

**OH NOES! I just love putting Cassidy in bad predicaments, don't I? **

**So tell me what you think! Please R&R!**

**Sunny**


	20. Chapter 20 Explanation of the kill

**Ok, sorry if this seems a bit rushed, but I tried to make this good for you guys! Enjoy!**

**000**

_Pant, Pant, Pant …_

_Crunch, crunch, crunch …_

This was all I could hear while I ran across my gravel driveway. My mind was in panic mode as I raced towards my house. The lights were all off and the darkness was extremely ominous.

I knew David was behind me, but I couldn't hear him running. I was confused. Wouldn't I be able to hear his boots against the gravel?

I slowed down a bit and took a daring look behind me.

Nothing.

I stopped completely, looking around in confusion.

He was nowhere to be found and that scared me even more. Seeing what I saw back there, I knew he was a predator and this is what predators did. They stalked their prey.

But, what _was_ he exactly?

He had fangs, yellow eyes, an animalistic face and a ferocity about him that made his presence seem all the more sadistic.

One word name to my mind.

Vampire.

But how was that possible? They didn't exist! But, those four boys were living proof that the very creature did in fact walk this Earth.

"Why do you freakin' hate me so much?" I whispered to the sky.

Everything had been going bad recently and I was beginning to lose all my hope. Then I remembered something my mother always reminded of me when I was down.

"_Look at the shadows in your heart, Cassidy. What do you see?"_

"_Darkness."_

"_You know what you have to do?"_

"_What?"_

"_Turn on the lights."_

"_What if you can't find the switch?"_

"_Then you feel around until you do."_

I sighed. My mother always had insightful things to say, but the trouble was, sometimes I just couldn't figure them out.

I snapped back into reality when I heard a noise coming from the bushes. I froze and listened. The bushes swayed back and forth and terror gripped my heart.

Then, from the thick shrubs came two figures and I nearly screamed.

After a second or two of that, I realized that it was only Winchester and Jesse.

They wagged their tails simultaneously and barked. Jesse's blue and brown eyes shined with loyalty as she came walking forward and nuzzled my palm with her wet nose.

Winchester walked over as well and stood beside Jesse. I leaned down.

"Oh, how I wish, I wish I were a dog," I said, laughing a little at my own joke.

Suddenly, the hackles on Winchester rose and his lip pulled up into a snarl. Jesse's tail lifted and she exposed sharp, white fangs. I closed my eyes and prayed that it wasn't who I thought it was.

I slowly turned around.

"Hello, Cassidy."

There he stood, leaning against the worn picket fence that surrounded part of the cornfields. He wore a smug look on his face and his eyes contained a victorious look.

What bothered me the most was, he just _stood_ there! He didn't make a move to advance or even make a physical interaction. He just stood there and watched.

I didn't speak, but stood up, slowly taking a few steps back.

"I wouldn't try it if I were you," he growled.

I stopped and he was silent.

"What do you want?" I asked almost too quiet to hear.

He laughed then; a short, cold laugh and it chilled me to the bone.

"Do I really have to spell it out for you?"

My hands shook in fear and I swallowed loudly. He sighed, clearly agitated.

"You're mine, Cassidy. You always have been and you always will be. And no matter where you run, I'll find you because you belong to _me_," he said, his voice almost like an animal in way.

It was so much to take in at the moment that I thought my mind was going to explode.

I was _his_?

I _belong_ to him?

For a moment, I thought my ears had deceived me. I couldn't believe what I was hearing!

So, all along, David had really liked me. Much to my dislike, this came as a relief to me.

Winchester growled and took a step forward. I held out my hand for him to halt.

"Stop," I whispered to him.

He ceased moving and sat down.

Then, the horrifying scene unfolded behind my eyes.

_People screaming and crying. _

_Blood covering everything that stood still. _

_David, his fangs elongated and his voice like an animal's snarl, feeding on the life source of innocent people._

I shook my head slowly, unable to accept what had been said to me.

"You're still a monster," I whispered, my hands shaking.

His eyes narrowed and he stood up straight. Winchester snarled at the sudden movement and David growled back.

Two animals fighting over dominance.

Fighting over _me_.

"Just stop it, the both of you!" I snapped. Winchester's ears flattened against his head and his tail descended. David stopped altogether, though he still looked angry.

"I don't know what you expect me to do, David. I can't go back with you, this is my home," I said quietly.

He stared at me with a furious expression.

"This is my home," I repeated, "this is where I grew up. Where my brother and I would hike the woods in the summer, where my dad taught me how to train the dogs. This is where I would plant the garden with my mother and hide in the cornfields when my friends and I played hide and go seek. This is where my mother's _buried_," I said, my voice cracking at the last word.

"I can't leave it all behind."

Inside, I felt my heart break again.

I finally knew that David at least felt a little towards me and now to say goodbye for good was one of the most painful things I had ever experienced.

"I'm not sure what you are and I could honestly care less, but what I saw back there was horrifying, David. What you did was evil and cruel."

He shook his head. "I have to. I don't think you're grasping that concept."

"Nobody has to do anything."

"I do if I want to survive," he bit back.

I closed my eyes and breathed had a stressful breath.

"I'm going to go inside now, David," I said quietly, turning around.

"No, you're not."

I stopped. "Yes, I am. Good night."

"You're not going anywhere, Cassidy."

I took a shaky breath. "Good night, David."

I started walking forwards, staring timidly at the ground.

And suddenly, like he had never been behind me, he appeared in front me like an apparition.

I gasped. "How did? You were…!"

He smirked. "I'm a monster, _remember?_"

I panicked then, suddenly terrified of what he was going to do. I darted to my left and ran straight for the house.

I heard him laugh.

"I'll still find you, Cassidy!" he called as I fumbled with the front door. I nearly kicked it open trying to get through and slammed it shut, locking it.

I stepped back, gasping for breath. I felt like my nerves were going to shut down.

_Stay calm! Stay calm!_

I rubbed my face in my hands and chocked back a sob.

"_This cannot be happening!"_ I thought.

In a capricious decision, I sprinted up my stairs and into my bedroom, slamming the door shut. I slid down onto the floor and shook with fear and exhaustion.

So, I sat there for an hour, wallowing in my depression.

"_This is just pathetic."_

I sighed and bowed my head.

"_Dear God,_

_I need help making a few decisions right now. I'm so confused and conflicted that I need guidance. Please protect me and guide me in the right direction._

_Amen."_

Then, I drifted into unconsciousness.

000

I awoke, startled, to the sound of dogs barking. I looked around my room frantically, but saw emptiness.

I sighed in relief. Then, I realized something strange.

I was in my bed.

"You didn't think you'd get off that easy, did you?"

I screamed.

He stood at the end on my bed, staring intently at me. I sat up straight and jumped off.

"How did you get in here?"

He shrugged like it was no big deal. "I have my ways."

I shook my head. "No, no, no, no, no! This cannot be happening! This…."

"Well, believe it because I'm standing right here."

I tapped my hands against my legs frantically.

Then, I tried the oldest trick in the book, but I knew he wouldn't fall for it.

"Hey, what's that over there?"

I made a dash for the door and ripped it open. I sprinted down the stairs, careful not to slip, and ran into the living room.

"A place to hide! A place to hide!" I repeated to myself.

There was nowhere except the couches. I inwardly groaned.

I snatched a red blanket from the loveseat and hid behind the couch, covering myself with the fabric.

I know it sound stupid, but it was the closest thing I had to hiding in this house.

My breathing became labored and I closed my eyes, fighting back sobs of fear.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps came from the stairs. They were purposely slow and I winced every time a boot hit the ground. A wave of sickness washed over me and I thought I was going to throw up.

I became very still until the only thing moved was the blood flowing through my veins.

Silence.

Then…

The blanket was ripped off me and I screamed bloody murder. I was suddenly picked up by the waist and carried into the air. I beat my fists against his back as he hauled me to the couch.

I was dropped onto the furniture and I sat there, stunned into silence. He stood in front of me, glaring down at me.

"Enough of the screaming," he growled. I flinched and shrank back into the couch.

He walked closer and crouched down until we were at eye level.

"Get this through your head. I'm not going to hurt you."

"That's a lie and you know it!" I spat.

He shook my shoulders, earning a squeak of terror from me.

"I don't lie to you, Cassidy, ever."

I turned away, avoiding eye contact.

He stood back up and sighed, figuring out it was useless.

"Answer me one question," he growled.

I looked up. "Only if you answer me one."

"Fair enough," he agreed.

I nodded. "Go ahead."

He paused. "Where'd you get your scar from?"

I stopped breathing and my cheeks burned bright red.

Out of all the embarrassing things for him to discover, it had to be my scar.

"How did you know I had it?" I whispered.

"When I put you on the bed your shirt was riding up a bit," he explained like it was no big deal.

My whole face turned red.

"Um, I, uh…surgery."

He waited for me to explain.

"When I was a kid I had a…"

"Limp?" he guessed.

"Yeah, how did…how did you know that?"

"I know a lot of things about you, Cassidy."

My heart beat accelerated.

Suddenly, he came and sat down next to me. I stiffened.

"Relax," he growled.

And out of nowhere, he lifted up my shirt to reveal the long, pink scar that ran from my waist down to my hip. I stifled a gasp as he ran his fingers along it, causing me to shiver.

"Does it hurt much?" he asked, distracted.

"N-not all the time, I guess."

"When did it happen?" he asked.

"I was nine."

He paused and then lifted his hand from my side. My shirt fell back down and I breathed out.

"My turn."

He smirked.

"I guess it is."

I sighed. "Why me? Why not any other girl on the boardwalk?"

He thought about it for a moment.

"Because you're you."

I raised one eyebrow.

"You're different. I can't explain it, but that's why. You're not the stereotypical blonde that most people think about. You're you," he repeated.

And for the first time in a long time, I felt good about myself.

The explanation was so simple, yet it described everything in complete detail.

I felt tears well up in my eyes and I brushed them away.

I stared into his blue eyes, seeing an odd emotion I had no name for.

Then, he did something I never would have guessed.

He kissed me.

It was gentle, nothing ferocious. I think he could tell I couldn't handle anything too horribly physical at the moment. My nerves were in just too much shock.

I leaned into it, forgetting everything that had happened that night. The idea that he was a monster suddenly disappeared from my thoughts.

Our lips moved together in harmony and the kiss deepened. I just felt complete for the first time since my mother died, so I welcomed it.

I ran my hands through his hair, noticing the rough texture. It felt just right, something I wouldn't have expected. He did the same with his hands and I started crying into the kiss.

I couldn't remember the last time I had felt loved. Actual, true love.

Tears leaked onto my cheeks and he wiped them away with his hands.

When we broke apart, I was gasping. I blushed a little and thought of something then. Should I tell him how I feel? Is it the right time?

Something inside me told me _"It's now or never."_

"Do you know why I choose you?" I whispered.

He looked curiously at me.

I looked up at him shyly through my hair.

"Because I love you."

**000**

**AAWWWWWWWW! Cass is a sweetie! Please R&R!**


	21. Chapter 21 Thinking back

**Okay, so this chapter is a two part chapter so the next one may be out tomorrow or the next day but expect one soon!**

_**000**_

"Okay, last thing for today, I promise!"

The class groaned.

"Take home your copy of _The Catcher in the Rye_ and finished up the book over the break. We will discuss the ending in class when we come back!" Mrs. Creyer shouted over all the talking coming from the students in the classroom.

I looked out the window, my head leaning on my right hand, and sighed. The wind was blowing incredibly hard outside and with it, memories of the previous day returned.

"_Why me? Why not any other girl on the boardwalk?"_

"_Because you're you."_

I smiled to myself and watched as the wind blew the bare branches back and forth in a redundant pattern.

Hopefully, I wouldn't be running in circles anymore for answers. I considered myself lucky; getting answers out of David was a near impossible task, but I had managed to pull it off.

"_Do you know why I chose you?"_

"_Because I love you."_

I was proud of myself for finally letting go of my fear and embarrassment and explaining to him how I really felt.

I didn't need him to say it back; I already knew that he felt the same. His little explanation "you're you" already proved to me that he did. See, growing up with two guys, I knew you couldn't always get them to say what you wanted to hear, but in due time they would show you in their own way.

That was David's way.

The sun peaked out from behind the gray clouds, sending shafts of dull light across the rocky ground.

Seeing the light made me think back to what had been said between me and David.

"_You're a vampire."_

_He nodded._

"_I guess I can't really accuse you of killing people without a purpose. I mean, that's how you survive right?"_

_He nodded again._

_I shook my head. "It's so messed up. God, it's messed up. You drink people's blood!"_

"_I have to."_

It took me awhile to really grasp the concept.

He was an actually killer, like I had thought all along.

But, could I really call him that?

Yes, he did, in the literal sense, kill people, but he did it to survive.

Think about it; wouldn't you do anything to survive?

I would.

"_So, that's why I never saw you during the day?"_

"_Yeah."_

_I shook my head. "How long has it been since you've seen the sun?" I whispered._

_He was silent. "A long time."_

"_Do you even remember what it looks like?"_

_He shook his head slowly, sadly._

"_It gets harder and harder to remember."_

I stared sadly at the bright shafts of light. David would never see those as long as he lived.

Somehow, I felt guilt burn in the pit of my stomach.

I should consider myself lucky. I was normal, human. I could see the sun; I could see how the world looked during the day. I could see how brilliant in color the flowers were, how the ocean sparkled with the bright sunlight.

I could see everything both ways.

He couldn't.

Maybe that's why he was so attracted to me? I could see things that he couldn't, experience things that he couldn't. Like he said, I was different. I could look at the sun without dying, without having to worry about burning into ash.

Something struck me hard then.

Maybe this was why David was the way he was. Why he could be so mysterious and different.

Could I have possibly been mistaking his true emotions and thoughts for something more arcane?

The more I thought about it, the more it made sense.

David was a very unhappy person, a very reserved and sometimes bitter person.

And it seemed the only time he wasn't so melancholy was when he was around…

"Oh my God," I whispered.

"Something you'd like to share, Ms. Reeves?" Mrs. Creyer asked.

My head snapped up and my cheeks burned in embarrassment.

Oh, sure Mrs. Creyer, the guy I'm in love with is severely unhappy and I'm the only one who can cheer him up, so I'm gonna have to find a way to work this out because he's a vampire and I can only see him at night!

Yeah. Right.

"Oh, nothing, Mrs. Creyer."

She grunted and went back to grading papers.

I felt someone nudge me and I looked to my right.

"What are you doing?" whispered Deana.

I shrugged, trying to conceal my embarrassment.

"Just day dreaming."

Well, it wasn't really a lie.

My mind went back to the previous night. David and I had talked for longer than I expected, mostly about vampires. He explained a lot of my questions until I had fallen asleep. Yes, I fell asleep, does that surprise you? I fell asleep on his shoulder (I know, cute right?). When I woke up the next morning, he was gone and I couldn't help but feel emptiness inside.

_Ring!_

"Class dismissed!" Mrs. Creyer announced as she stood up to leave the room.

I grabbed my bag and made a straight line towards the exist.

"Wait, Cass!" Deana called.

I stopped and turned around.

"You wanna hang out today?" she asked hopefully.

I sighed. "I can't today, Deana, I've got to get home. Maybe next week?" I said, trying to cushion the rejection.

She shrugged. "Yeah, maybe next week," she mumbled and pushed her way past me.

I walked as quickly as I could to get home, still a little paranoid after what happened last night even though it was still daylight.

"No coffee stop today," I chuckled to myself.

The sun was just about to set when I reached home. Winchester and Jesse were waiting for me in the front yard, wagging their tails excitedly.

"Hey guys!" I said, taking a second to pet both of them before going inside.

My house was warm and I could smell burning firewood.

"Dad, I'm home!" I called.

I sat my bag down next to the front door and walked into the kitchen. The lights were on and Carter was sitting at the table doing homework.

"Class today?" I asked.

He grunted. "Yeah."

"How was your trip last night?" I asked, opening the fridge and scanning the contents.

He shrugged. "We got the feed and came home. The end."

"Someone's grouchy," I teased.

"You would be too if you had to do homework this close to Thanksgiving."

"Well, at least you don't have to do it every night," I commented.

He didn't answer; instead slammed his book closed and stood up, stretching.

"Hey, Cass!"

Dad came walking into the room and squeezed my shoulder.

"Hey, how was the trip?"

"It was good. Got to see Will Baker again."

"That's good. Haven't seen him in awhile."

"Yeah, Sam asked about you."

I stopped moving.

Sam.

"_A word of advice: look out for that Sam boy; he seems to like you a lot."_

Chills went down my spine as I remembered that night on the beach with David.

It made me think of Holly as well and one of the questions I had asked David.

"_Is Holly a vampire, too?"_

"_Only half. She's hasn't fed on anyone yet. She's a little skeptical about it. Keeps saying something about it having bad vibes or something."_

Yet.

She hasn't fed _yet_.

To me, Holly just didn't seem like the kind of girl who would kill another person. She was too sweet.

Or she _had_ been. I wasn't sure what she was now.

"Oh…how is Sam?"

"He had the flu and didn't look too good."

"Hope he gets better," I muttered.

"I'm sure he will."

Carter walked over to the fridge and pulled out a vanilla ice cream carton. When he opened it up, he groaned.

"Who ate all the freakin' ice cream?"

I raised my hand slowly.

"Sorry, Car."

He put it back into the fridge and shot me a glare.

"So Dad, did you tell Cassidy the _big news?_" he snickered.

Dad rolled his eyes. "Carter, grow up."

"What big news?"

"It's not big news."

"What is it?"

Dad sighed and glared at Carter.

"We're going to Georgia for Thanksgiving."

I stared at him excitedly.

"Wait, seriously?"

I hadn't seen my family down in Georgia in five years!

He nodded. "Yeah, I called them yesterday."

I smiled. "This is so awesome!"

"I knew you'd be happy."

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. The dogs barked and snarled outside and my smile disappeared.

The dogs never acted hostile unless they were around….

Predators.

"Um, I'll get it!"

I dashed towards the front door before they could argue.

I walked across the living room until I reached the hallway with the front door. Slowly putting my hand on the knob, I opened the door to find…

"Holly?"

Realization hit me with full force then as I looked upon her worried face.

I had just told David I loved him and him with me and I was _leaving_. Who knows how long I'd be gone. Days, weeks?

This was not going to work.

"Um, hi Holly."

Her eyes shined with urgency.

"Cassidy, I need your help."

**000**

**Yeah, I know this chapter may have been boring, sorry. Please R&R!**

**Sunny**


	22. Chapter 22 Family similarities

**Okay, peeps here's chapter 22! So there should be a few more chapters left in this story and I'll be finished! Yes, finished! But there will be a sequel! **

**Enjoy!**

**000**

My gaze hardened and I nearly shut the door in her face.

"What do you want Holly?"

"I need your help!"

I snorted. "With what? What could I _possibly_ help _you _with?"

Her eyes were wide with fear and she grabbed my arm, jerking me outside. I closed the door and stood on the porch, my arms crossed over my chest in annoyance.

"You can't go to Georgia!"

I shook my head in disbelief. "How the _hell_ do you know about that?"

"I was waiting for you here earlier and overhead your dad talking to your brother."

"You were waiting for me?"

"That's not important!" she snapped.

I turned to go back inside, fed up with looking at her.

"Stop!" she cried, grabbing my arm again.

"What is it, Holly!"

"You can't go to Georgia, Cassidy!"

"Why not?"

"I've got a horrible feeling about it, Cass! Your vibes don't feel good right now! They're unstable and something tells me that Georgia is not the right decision!"

I rolled my eyes. "Why should I believe you, huh? Besides, I told you to never talk to me again, remember?"

She pushed me. "I don't care! You're still my friend and I care about you! I don't want you to get hurt!"

"What could possibly hurt me, Holly?"

She shook her head. "I don't know…I…I just know that if you go, you're going to get hurt," she whispered sadly.

I looked around quickly, checking to see if anybody else could have _accompanied_ her.

"Look, I know what you are, Holly and to be honest, I'm not really sure I trust you right now."

"But you have to! You're in danger, Cassidy!"

I shook my head and began walking towards the door.

"Have a good night, Holly."

"I'm gonna tell David you're going!" she threatened.

I stopped walking. "Why does it even matter?"

"Because…you can't just leave everything behind!"

"Jesus, Holly it's not like I'm going away forever!"

"But the first few weeks in mates' lives together are the most critical. This is the time you find out if you're honestly compatible with each other or not!" she explained worriedly.

"Mates?"

"Well, yeah Cassidy, what else would you call it?"

I shook my head. "It sounds like you're talking about an animal."

"We are animals."

And then it all made sense. They were animals and they knew it.

I knew it.

And yet I was still in love with him.

"Look, I'm going to Georgia whether you like it or not. Good night."

"I can't believe you!" she hissed.

I growled.

"You just told him you loved him and now you're getting up and leaving! I'm starting to think that you don't even care!"

I was restraining myself from slapping her.

"Holly, you don't what I feel so why don't you just leave me the fuck alone!" I snarled and opened the door.

"Fuck you, Cassidy!" she shouted and ran away into the dark.

I slammed the door shut and stomped into the kitchen.

"Who was that?" Dad asked.

I didn't respond to his question.

"When are we leaving?" I growled.

"Tomorrow."

I sulked to the stairs and headed up to my bedroom.

"Good. The sooner the better."

000

After numerous days in the truck, I was relieved when we pulled up into my Uncle's gravel driveway. You have no idea how unbearable it was to have to share such a small space with Carter for that long.

"Okay, guys, we're here!" Dad said excitedly.

So let's get some things straight here.

This was my dad's side of the family. We were visiting his brother, Rowen's house and most of my family would be here, not including my mother's side.

I opened the truck door and stretched, groaning as my muscles protested against the strain after being compressed for days on end.

"Here, Cass!" Dad called.

He tossed me my black duffle bag and I caught it, nearly falling over it weighed so much.

"Watch yourself, Cass!" Carter laughed.

I gazed around my Uncle's large farm, noticing all the familiar details of Georgia land. Tress surrounded the area, cutting it off from the outside world. Crops were still growing despite the cold weather and I smiled to myself.

This was home.

I used to live on this land when I was little. This is where my mother and father met. This was where I was born.

After a couple years, my mother convinced my father to move to Santa Carla. She used to go up there a lot when she was a little girl and just adored the place. My father, being the mushy push over that he was for my mother, agreed and wha la! We landed ourselves in California.

"Glad to be back, Cass?" Dad asked.

I nodded. "Definitely."

But suddenly I felt a pang of sadness. He was still on my mind, no matter where I went or what I thought about. I felt horrible about leaving and I didn't even get to tell him goodbye. It tore me up inside, having to be away from him now, but I didn't have a choice. Let's not forget, my dad didn't even _know_ about David.

"Cassidy Reeves!" I heard a voice call my name.

I turned around swiftly and grinned.

"Honor O'Reilly!" I laughed.

I dropped my duffle bag and ran towards my cousin, enveloping her in a giant bear hug.

"How've ya been!"

"Great! How 'bout you?" I asked excitedly.

Honor was my dad's sister's daughter. She was stunning to say the least. Her bright red hair went down her back in waves and her sparkling green eyes were shining with excitement.

"I've been fantastic! Even better now that you're here!"

I laughed. "Where's Shani?"

Shani was Honor's younger sister. She wasn't as pretty as Honor was, but she was still unique. She had her father's black hair and brown eyes and quiet personality.

"She's somewhere inside with Brennan and Levi."

Okay, I'm just gonna warn you now, I have a lot of family so try and keep up.

"Hey Dad, I'm gonna go inside!" I called.

"Okay!"

Honor put her arm around me and smiled.

"You're gonna be amazed at how grown everyone is!" she exclaimed.

I smiled. "Well, you already look different from the last night I saw you!"

She grinned. "Thanks."

She opened the front door and a rush of smells greeted me.

"It smells great in here!" I observed.

"Thanks. Mom's cooking the turkey and dressing and Aunt Nora and Aunt Grace are fixing the rest."

Honor's mom's name was Sheila and her dad's was Patrick. She also had a brother named Brandon.

Hey, we're Irish, we have a big family.

"Where's Gran?"

"She's making the desert. Pa's watching the game with the rest of the guys."

Gran and Pa were our grandparents, Fiona and Seamus.

"Ma! Cassidy's here!"

I heard the banging of pots and pans coming from the kitchen until a middle aged red headed woman walked out.

"Aunt Sheila!"

"Cassidy!" she cried and hugged me tight.

"You've gotten so big!"

"Thank you!"

"And pretty!" cried two other voices.

"Aunt Grace! Aunt Nora!"

We all hugged in a tight embrace.

Hey, we hadn't seen each other in five years!

"How've you been!" I asked them.

"We've all been great!"

"Do you need any help?"

They shook their heads.

"No, no! You go enjoy yourself!" they said, shooing me away.

Honor took hold of my hand.

"Come on! Let's go say hi to everyone else!"

She dragged me up a flight of stairs and into a bigger room. I smiled when I saw everyone inside.

Elly and Caitlin Reeves.

Brandon and Shani O'Reilly.

Brennan, Falon, Levi and Ford Reeves.

All my cousins present in one room.

"Cassidy!" they shouted.

Elly and Caitlin were twins and the youngest of the group as they were both twelve.

Honor was eighteen, Brandon was eleven and Shani was fifteen.

Brennan was twenty, Falon was thirteen and Levi and Ford were another set of twins. They were fourteen.

"Hey guys!"

Elly and Cailtin ran and practically tackled me to the ground.

"Where have you been! We haven't seen you in _forever_!"

"Just been busy, you know?"

They nodded fiercely and grinned.

"How long have you guys been here?" I asked everyone in the room.

"Only since yesterday," Honor replied.

"Sorry to have kept you guys waiting," I apologized.

"Nah, we know how far away Cali is," Falon said from the couch.

"So how is California?" Ford asked.

I shrugged. "Right now, freezing."

"It snowed here last week!" Levi said.

I smiled. "That's cool!"

They nodded.

"We've missed you, Cassidy," Shani said quietly.

I hugged her tightly. "I've missed you guys too."

000

"So, what'd ya wanna talk about?" Honor asked, stomach up on the guest bed.

Honor and I were sharing a room.

I looked over at her from my twin bed, my curly hair falling in my face.

"Got a boyfriend yet?"

She waved her hand dismissively. "Nah, don't need one. They're too much work. You?"

I shrugged. Could I really call David my boyfriend? Or the other term Holly had used?

Mate.

I shuddered. That word just grossed me out entirely.

"I don't know."

Her eyes sparkled. "You _do_ don't you!"

I tried to hide my smile. "Maybe."

She pumped her fists in the air.

"I knew it would happen one day!" she squealed excitedly.

I laughed.

"So, what's he like?" she asked eagerly.

I turned to my side so I could see her clearly.

"Um…."

"Come on! Give me something! What's he look like?"

"He's blonde and…he's got blue eyes."

"Mhmmmm, my favorite!"

I laughed. "He's… really hard to explain honestly."

"Ohhh, the mysterious type, eh?"

I nodded. "Yeah, _that's_ an understatement."

She laughed. "Looks like you've scored yourself a winning goal, my friend!"

I smiled.

"So what's his name?"

"Da-"

"Cassidy! Someone's here to see you!" my dad interrupted.

"Is that your dad?"

I nodded.

I turned swiftly towards the door.

"Who?" I called.

"Just come and see!" he called back.

I groaned and got up from the bed. Honor stood up as well and followed me as I walked down the hallway.

The front door was open and Dad stood next to it. He looked a little uncomfortable and that worried me. My dad wasn't someone who became upset easily.

"Cassidy, it looks like a surprise came to see you for Thanksgiving," he said.

I looked at him confusedly until two people walked in from the outside.

My eyes widened.

"Grandpa? Grandma?"

My mother's parents stood in the doorway and I nearly fainted.

My mother's father, Woodrow, was an old farmer, tan, grayed, sweet disposition. I used to sit on his lap when I was a little girl while he told me stories. He was always my favorite and it was really hard for me when we left Georgia.

My grandmother, Vadoma, on the other hand, scared the shit out of me. I didn't like her and she didn't like me. When I was little, she always snapped at me and told me I was a wild rat who needed to be trained on how to act properly. She didn't like my dad either, always said he wasn't good enough for my mother.

To say the least, we didn't get along and I didn't have the slightest idea to why they came to visit me.

"My Cassy bear!" Grandpa said happily, pulling me into a tight hug. I smiled as I noticed his familiar scent of pine and fresh grown bell peppers.

"Hey, Grandpa."

I looked up to see Grandma staring coldly at me.

She looked just like my mother, not counting the hair which was black and curly. Her eyes were a dull brown and her face was hardened with age. I remember seeing pictures of her when she was younger. She was a beautiful woman and I could see why my grandpa was married to her.

I think the reason she hated me so much was because I came between her and my mother. She was probably glad when I moved away.

"Hey, Grandma," I said quietly.

She grunted and pushed past me, heading towards a guest bedroom upstairs.

I looked back at my grandpa.

"She's just a little cranky 'cause she had to wake up extra early this morning," he drawled.

Dad ran a hand through his black hair and sighed. Grandpa put a hand on his shoulder.

"How ya doin', Jamie?"

"Good, Woodrow. I'm good."

Grandma nodded his head. "How's Carter?"

"As hard working as ever," Dad said sternly.

"Good."

I sighed and looked at Honor. "Uh, we're gonna go back to our room. It's great to see you grandpa."

He smiled and nodded.

Honor and I walked back to the room and closed the door.

"Man, was that weird or what?" she laughed.

I nodded, my eyes wide. "I had no idea they were coming!"

"Neither did I!"

"This is just too much," I mumbled.

000

Everyone sat around the table, fixing their plates and engaging in light hearted banter. The kids sat in a cluster, laughing and talking and the adults did the same.

Honor sat to my right and Shani to my left. We were talking about nothing important, really, mostly school and friends. Levi and Ford asked tons of questions about California and I was more than happy to answer them.

Seeing all of them made me happier than a squirrel in a nut factory!

But the entire time I ate Thanksgiving dinner, Grandma stared at me. Her eyes were cold and unsettling and made me uncomfortable the whole time.

When we were finished eating, the adults sat around the fire place, talking and the kids went upstairs to hang out. Honor and I were about to make our way up when somebody grabbed my arm.

I turned around and nearly gasped.

"Uh, h-hey grandma."

Her hands were cold and her grip was painful.

"Come with me. It's time we take a walk."

I swallowed. "Uh, Honor I'll see you in a minute."

She nodded nervously and hesitantly ran upstairs.

Grandma pulled me towards the front door and opened it, letting in freezing air.

I shivered and rubbed my arms. "It's freezing outside!"

"Toughen up, girl. Your mother went through worse, I can assure you."

I winced.

She pulled me outside and began walking. Her course, black hair blew in the wind and her eyes shined suspiciously.

When we were father away from the house, she stopped and turned towards me.

"Do you know who Prince Vlad III of Wallachia is?" she asked, her Mediterranean accent thick.

I shook my head. "What?"

"You might know him as Vlad Dracula."

"Dracula? Like from the movie?"

"If that's how you associate with him, then yes."

"Is this what you wanted to talk to me about? Some movie character?" I asked in disbelief.

She shook her head, ignoring me. "My people lived in fear for years while he ruled. No one could live in peace so long as Vlad ruled. He killed thousands of innocent people. When he "died", people were still afraid to go out at night. They knew what he was, what he did. His enemies thought of he was gone forever, but his people knew he wasn't. Vlad wasn't dead, he lived on. He terrorized Romania over the course of five centuries, instilling fear in the residents."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"My people led an attack against Vlad, a revolt if you may, but they never lived to see the next day. That's why my family left Romania. We were being hunted by an unstoppable predator."

The wind howled and blew making my grandmother seem all the more intimidating.

"I'm telling you this because I know what that creature did to me and to my family. I know what kind of damage they can do."

I shook my head. "I don't understand!"

"I know what's been going on, Cassidy. I can read it on your face. You've been lured haven't you?"

My heart sped up.

"You're in love with him aren't you?" she whispered.

"How do you know that?" I asked, backing away.

How the hell did she know about me and David?

She shows up here and springs up an explanation of her family's migration because of a Romanian vampire prince and expects me to understand!

"You must stay away from him. I've experienced these monsters and I know what they can do. I came here to warn you, Cassidy."

"Warn me of what?" I whispered.

"If you don't want the same fate as your mother, then stay away from the vampire."

**000**

**Okay, so tell me what you think! And if anyone's confused, Vadoma (Cassidy's grandmother) is from Romania. And some actual residents of Romania believe Vlad Dracula is a vampire and is still alive today! I know, creepy right?**

**Please R&R!**

**Sunny**


	23. Chapter 23 Lured

**Okay, so this chapter was intended to be short. Sorry. The next chapter will be longer! Enjoy!**

**000**

I stared at her in confusion. "What are you talking about! My mother died in a car accident!"

She laughed a cold laugh. "Is that what they told you!"

My eyes started watering and I tried my hardest not to cry. "I saw it with my own eyes!"

"What? The _accident?_"

I was silent.

"Her death was no accident, girl."

"I saw the body! I saw her! She was in an accident! I know she was!"

"_Really?_"

"I saw her! Her body was…was… bloody and mangled! She haunted my dreams for years! It was real and I saw it!"

"You saw the after math of an argument, Cassidy."

I shook my head. "No. She died in a car accident."

"Believe what you want, but I know the truth. Your mother was involved with vampires, Cassidy."

"What are you talking about! There were no vampires in Santa Carla when I was a kid!"

"Of course there were," she scoffed.

I looked around, making sure no one could hear us.

"You should be ashamed of yourself! This is your daughter and _my_ mother you're talking about!" I hissed.

"You know of vampires! Why are you so opposed to believing this?"

"I…because my mother…she would have never…"

"Never what? Never done what _you've _done?"

"My mother wasn't in _love_ with a vampire!"

"No, dear, but she was lured, just as you have been."

"I haven't been lured!"

She snorted. "Of course you have. Vampires have that charm about them. You think you're in love with him, but you're just under a trance of some sort."

I shook my head angrily. "How do you even know this? How would you know about him?"

"Your father talked to Woodrow recently. He said you'd been acting strange, almost like you were just easing on by. If I remember correctly, you were a rambunctious little girl, always getting into trouble because of your independence. When I heard that, I knew something was wrong. I've known for a while of the vampires in Santa Carla and I had to be sure."

I tapped my foot anxiously. "You never came to see us! How do you even know that she was involved with vampires!"

She shook her head. "I came to see you a few times, you just don't' remember. I saw it in her eyes before I saw the vampire. She was different to say the least."

"No! She loved my father more than _anything!_ She would never do that to him!" I cried.

She put a hand on my shoulder. "I never said she betrayed your father, Cassidy. I know how much she loved him. I simply stated that she was lured."

"I don't understand," I said, the tears now falling down my face.

She wiped them away. "She wasn't in love with the vampire, only under the trance. When she saw what would happen if she allowed it to go any further, she faced down her demons."

I was silent.

"She tried to break contact with the vampire, but it resulted in a violent argument. He killed her, massacred her in such a way that would look like an _accident._"

"Why! Why would he do that?"

She snorted. "Obviously you don't know anything about vampires. Their tempers sky rocket when they get angry and your mother was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

I wiped my cheeks to dry the tears. "Grandma, I haven't been lured. Trust me," I said, my voice shaking.

"Dear, there's no way to tell the difference."

That was when I nearly shut down. Had I been lied to this entire time?

"I thought he loved me," I whispered, tear spilling down my cheeks.

She shook her head sadly. "Of course you did, dear. So did your mother. But she knew what would happen if she let it go any further."

I started sobbing then and surprised myself. I never cried like this! Never!

She patted my back. "You have to stop meeting with him. You're just digging yourself in a bigger hole."

"I tried so hard to make everything right! I told him I loved him!"

"And did he do the same for you?"

I stopped crying for a few seconds when the realization suddenly hit.

"No," I breathed.

"See. You have to stop this."

I started sobbing again as my heart broke over and over and over.

"I told your mother the same as I'm telling you."

I looked up. "But that got her _killed!_" I cried.

She shook her head. "She came across it the wrong way, Cassidy. You're smart. You'll figure out a way."

I was crying so hard now I was hiccupping.

"W-who was it?"

"What?"

I looked her in the eye. "Who was the vampire?" I sobbed.

She paused. "You might know him."

"Who!"

"I don't know his name. I never asked. But I do know what he looks like. I saw him with her once."

I waited.

"He looks harmless, the complete opposite of what a vampire should look like. If I remember correctly, he looked older than most, possibly in his forties when he was changed. He had brown hair and was quite tall."

"Doesn't ring a bell."

She paused for a moment and all I could hear was the wind. She was contemplating something.

Then, she snapped her fingers.

"I remember now! He had a dog, a white one that looked quite vicious and he wore-"

"Glasses," I breathed.

I felt my stomach do back flips.

"So _are_ familiar with him?"

I nodded, my whole body turning numb.

"Max."

**000**

**DUN DUN DUN! Hope you liked it! Please R&R!**


	24. Chapter 24 Coming home to the storm

**Whoa, I update fast don't I? lol so I hope you like this chapter! There's only one left peeps! Yay! Enjoy!**

**000**

The pastures went by as the truck drove along. The cows and bulls ate lazily in the grass, not bothering to look up.

I sighed.

Why couldn't life be that simple?

To be honest, I felt like I couldn't even move I was so numb. For the rest of the vacation, I tried my best to act okay, but inside I was shutting down.

I had just found out that my mother had been _murdered_. I deserved to feel that way at least for a little while.

No one seemed to notice how strange I had been acting, or maybe they had and just didn't say anything. Either way, I was leaving Georgia behind and going back to Santa Carla. I didn't know what I would do when I got back home. I missed my family already.

I knew he would be waiting for me, but could I really stay away from him for good this time? The first try had proven to be a failure, but then again, I hadn't known about my mother.

This much I had figured out.

David was a vampire.

Max was a vampire.

They both lived in Santa which meant that they must know each other.

And that must mean that David knew about Max murdering my mother. That much alone was enough to help me make up my mind.

No more David. No more Holly. No more Marko, Dwayne or Paul. _No more vampires_.

No matter how painful saying goodbye was, I would have to pull through and be strong.

But how could I possibly be strong if I was ripping open all new wounds as well as old ones?

What did I ever do to deserve this?

000

I set my duffle bag down on my bed and sighed. The window was closed and locked and the sun was hiding behind the gray clouds. The bare branches of the trees outside pounded on the glass, making me jump at every sound. Every time they hit the window, I thought it was _him_ waiting out there for me.

"_Don't be so paranoid."_

I began to unpack my clothes and put them away in the drawer, every once in a while glancing up at the window.

Then, as I opened one drawer, something fell out and onto the floor. I looked down.

The necklace.

I stared at it for the longest time before bending down and picking it up. I smoothed my thumb over the teardrop and felt my stomach wrench.

He knew all along about my mother, all along. It was time to do something about this. Then I would deal with Max.

I breathed out angrily and stuffed the necklace in my pocket.

But what could _I_ possibly do? I was eighteen, a female, and _not a vampire_. Don't get me wrong, I love being a girl, but let's be realistic here. It's me versus the vampires.

Fat chance of winning this one.

I sighed and finished unpacking, afterwards heading downstairs. I grabbed my gray jacket off the coat rack and opened the front door.

"Where're you goin', Cass?" Dad asked from the kitchen.

I sighed. "To meet Holly," I lied.

It was quiet for a moment. "Well, don't be out too late. You just got back."

"Alright, Dad."

I opened the door and stepped out onto the porch. The air was colder than I remember and I knew a frost would be coming soon.

I walked towards the drive way, the gravel crunching underneath my boots. The wind whipped my hair around my face, momentarily blinding me. I pushed it behind one ear.

There was going to be a storm today that was for sure.

I kept walking, keeping my head down, but stopped when I saw Ben, our farmhand, loading up corn husks in the back of his truck.

When he saw me, he waved. "Hey, Cassidy!"

I forced a smile on my face. "Hey, Ben. Are you goin' into town?"

He nodded. "Have to deliver this corn before it goes bad. Why? You need a ride?"

"That would be great if it's not too much trouble."

He shook his head. "Not at all. Hop in."

I opened the truck door and sat down, smoothing my hair out so it wouldn't look like a bird's nest. A few minutes later, he got in the truck and started the engine.

We got out on the road and the wind began to howl loudly, causing me to remember that night a few days ago.

The screams of those people were still haunting. The look on their faces were horrific and the boys didn't even care.

I thought I wouldn't care that he as a vampire, but now I think I do. They enjoyed the pain of others and just seeing them kill those people disturbed me beyond belief.

"So how was your trip to Georgia?" Ben asked.

I sighed and continued staring out the window. "It was great. I got to hang out with Honor a lot."

He nodded. "I like her. She's a good girl."

"Yeah," I whispered sadly.

"Somthin' botherin' you?" he asked.

I paused. "Ben?"

"Yeah?"

"What would you do if you knew a horrible secret?" I whispered.

He stole a glance over at me. "What kind of secret?"

I sighed. "A horrible secret and somebody else knows and they didn't do anything to stop it from happening."

He was quiet for a moment.

"If it meant a lot to me, I would talk to them about it."

I nodded.

He didn't ask me anything else and I was glad. I didn't want to have to explain myself.

We pulled up to the boardwalk and, thankfully, the storm hadn't arrived yet.

"Looks like we beat the storm," Ben said, looking up at the sky.

I nodded and hoped out of the car.

The boardwalk was crowded, despite the cold weather. People were flocking the sidewalks and stores, most likely trying to buy Christmas presents. Everyone was smiling.

Everyone but me.

It was time to face my demons as my grandmother had said.

"Thanks for the ride, Ben."

He looked up. "No problem."

I walked away and into the crowd, scanning the sea of faces for one in particular. Then I realized something.

The sun was still up.

"Damn it."

I still had about a good hour before the sun set. To waste time, I meandered around the boardwalk, looking down at my boots the entire time.

Where I ended up surprised me.

_Art by Holly._

The shop was dark inside and the doors were locked. It was like a ghost town.

I wondered if her mother had taken Holly's kittens home. I had left them in the storage space just like she had asked.

"_I wonder how her mother's copping with Holly gone?"_

Holly was lucky as hell. She actually had a mother yet she chose to leave her behind. Why couldn't people see the things that were the most important?

I stood there for a moment, peering inside the store until it was too much for me to bear.

"_Find something you like?"_

"_Uh, no I'm just looking."_

"_That's my favorite."_

"_What?"_

"_That necklace, it's my favorite. It's called The Loner. There's a description that goes with it. I'm Holly by the way."_

I sighed and walked away from the shop.

Before long, it began to get dark. More time had passed than I thought.

I breathed in deep and began looking for them.

It was time to get _all_ my answers.

000

Behind walls.

Around corners.

Inside stores.

They were nowhere.

Yet they were everywhere.

I could feel them watching me; their gazes made my skin crawl. My anger began to rise. They knew I was looking for them, but they wouldn't come out to face me!

"Why don't you come out already," I hissed quietly.

Thunder rolled loudly above me and a slight drizzle came down.

"Something _wrong_, Cassidy?"

I whipped around to face Holly. She leaned on the railing, a smug look on her face.

"Where is he?"

She shook her head. "I told you not to go to Georgia. I had a bad feeling."

My face turned a shade of purple. "You knew, didn't you?"

"No. I don't what happened down there, I just know it was bad."

"You got that right! Something horrible _did_ happen!"

She looked curiously at me and crossed her arms, ignoring the slight rain.

"My mother was _murdered!_"

She stops and looks at me, horrified.

"That's right! Murdered! Just like Maria."

Her eyes widened. "So you found out?" she whispered.

"About what?"

"Maria."

I shook my head. "I've known all along. The boys killed her."

She laughed sarcastically. "Hardly, Cass. Max did."

My heart stopped. "What?"

She nodded. "He told me himself. Max is like our father, see, and he tells us a lot of things."

"Your _father?_"

"Yes. He made the boys. Not me though, Marko did that."

I had to look away to stop from screaming.

"You knew Max killed her and you did nothing?"

She shrugged. "What could I do, honestly?"

I bit my tongue to stop from lashing out at her.

Lightning flashed and the thunder rolled again.

Suddenly, someone touched the small of my back.

"Let's go somewhere else, Cassidy," David said.

I didn't turn around, but glared at all the boys as they came to stand beside Holly. She was dressed differently now, I realized. She wore dark jeans and a long sleeved, white shirt underneath a thick black vest. Her hair was down long and shaded her eyes.

David pulled me away from the rest and began walking towards the ocean. I followed.

I noticed his hand was still on my back, leading me where he wanted to go. I nearly stopped walking I was furious.

When we reached the sand I pulled away from him. The freezing waves washed over my boots, but I did nothing to avoid them.

He looked at me calmly.

"How was Georgia?"

"So Holly told you?" I asked, keeping my voice low.

He nodded. "I would have rather heard it from you than her."

"You know, I was only gone for three days. Why is that such a big deal?"

He shrugged. "It really wasn't, but you didn't even say goodbye."

I felt a little guilt for a moment, but it was soon replaced with anger.

"I found out something interesting there," I said evenly.

He raised one eyebrow. "What?"

My anger rose to the top. "My mother was murdered."

He looked at me, concerned, but didn't say anything.

"I know who killed her," I growled.

"Who?" he asked.

Like he _didn't_ know!

I snorted. "Don't play dumb, David. You know who! Max!" I hissed.

He looked surprised to say the least.

"You know about Max?"

"Yes, I know he's a vampire! I know he was involved with my mother! He tried to get her away from my dad, but in the end he killed her! Massacred her body to the extent that it looked like she was in a car accident!" I hissed.

"_That's_ what I found out!"

He shook his head. "When?"

"When? When do you think! When I was ten! But you know what makes the most angry about this whole situation?"

He was silent.

"You _knew_ about it and you failed to even mention it to me!"

His face changed to anger. "This is the first I've heard about it!" he growled.

"That's a lie and you know it!"

The thunder rolled again and the rain became heavy and harder.

Freezing rain.

"Cassidy, don't you think I would have told you? I already explained that I don't lie to you!"

I snorted. "_Sure!_ Well you are now! Max is a vampire, you're a vampire and Holly said Max told you a lot of things! Coincidence? I don't think so, David!"

His hands clenched into fists. "Don't push it, Cassidy!" he snarled.

This is must be the temper Grandma was talking about.

"David, you knew! YOU KNEW!"

His face twisted into a snarl. "I only knew as much as you did, Cassidy!"

The rain fell harder.

I pushed him roughly. "It's incredible that you keep denying it, David! I _know _it's true and so do you!"

He took hold of my shoulders. "If you want to believe that lie, then go ahead! But don't come running to me when you find out I'm right because _I won't be here!_" he shouted and turned swiftly around.

My eyes widened and I felt my heart stop. The thunder rolled louder and the waves crashed violently against my feet.

Then, I blurted out the first thing that came to my mind.

"I HATE you!"

**000**

**So I hoped you liked it! Hope it didn't seem too rushed! The last chapter should be totally epic, just gonna say right now! Lol please R&R!**

**Sunny**


	25. Chapter 25 Cass's Nightmare

**Okay, so this chapter is short, I know, but this week is exams so I won't be able to update for a week and a half. I felt bad so I pushed myself to write this little bit to hold you guys over! Enjoy!**

**000**

If I really thought about it, I knew I was wrong.

Deep down, I knew David was telling me the truth. After all, he had never lied to me before, right?

But maybe this had been the first time? God, I just couldn't be sure. I was so confused!

And how could Max do that to us? How could he kill my mother?

Grandma said that Max had "lured" my mother, but I just couldn't see my mom as the type of person to do that to her family.

I shook my head and looked out my window, sighing loudly.

"_I HATE you!"_

Why had I even said that to him! I hadn't meant it! I was just so…so angry! He drove me to it!

"No, he didn't. You did it yourself," I whispered.

The night sky was dark tonight and even the moon had a hard time lighting it up. The rainstorm didn't make its job any easier. The heavy down pour pounded against the shut window and made it difficult to see out.

_Dreary weather for a dreary mood…_

Generally I was a happy person, but lately everything had been going wrong!

_So cliché…_

I sighed and flopped onto my bed, face down. My bedroom was freezing so I wrapped an extra blanket around me and kicked off my shoes. The rain continued to fall outside and the sound comforted me.

I slowly drifted into unconsciousness; dreams plaguing my once welcomed sanctuary.

000

_I was running._

_Well, at least trying to run. My limp was slowing me down._

_Wait, my limp?_

_I haven't had a limp since I was…_

_I looked down in shock as I realized what body I was in._

_I was short, had little feet dressed in gray converse, and was wearing jeans and a T-shirt that said "I bite". _

"_What the hell?"_

_My eyes widened. My voice had a high pitch, almost like a little girl's. _

_What was going on here? How old was I?_

_Suddenly, I was surrounded by people. I realized that I was on the boardwalk, being pushed and pulled by the ever-growing crowd. People walked past me, not looking down, there shopping bags bumping into my head roughly, almost painfully._

_I started running again, not really knowing why._

_Something was coming._

_I looked behind me, but saw nothing. _

_I turned back around and kept running, in fear of the monster following me._

"_Hello?" I cried as suddenly, the boardwalk became empty._

_I looked around, panicked. It was a ghost town and I could practically see the tumbleweed roll by._

_All the rides were still on, the lights still blinked, the shrill carnival music still played. But nobody was here. _

_The cold wind blew and I shivered and stopped running._

_I could hear something._

"_Cassidy…" a voice called._

_I whipped around, but there was nothing. _

"_Hello?"_

"_Cassidy…"_

_I walked towards the voice, but stopped when I realized it was the monster. He was coming for me._

"_Where are you, little one…."_

_I took a step back._

"_I see you…"_

_I started to shake._

"_I'm coming for you…"_

_I couldn't move no matter how hard I tried. I was stuck in place. _

"_Help!"_

"_No one's here to save you now…"_

_Suddenly, something tapped my shoulder. I slowly turned around._

"_Mama?" I whispered in horror. _

_She was covered from head to toe in blood. It dripped onto the sidewalk and soaked into my shoes. Her lower torso was ripped open, entrails hung out. Her right leg was twisted and her arms were shredded. But the worst part was her face. Her brown eyes were haunting and her mouth was twisted into a silent scream. Parts of her hair were ripped out and blood and brains stuck to her skin._

_I felt like throwing up._

_This had been the aftermath of the argument._

"_Cassidy," she moaned and held her hand out to me._

_I backed away, gasping._

_Her eyes were sad as I shrunk away from her._

"_Why are you running from me?" she cried._

_I couldn't speak. I didn't know what to say. _

"_Why are you running, Cassidy! Why are you scared?"_

_I turned away, unable to see my mother in such a state. _

"_What's wrong, my Cassy Bear? Why don't you look at me!"_

"_You're not my mama!" I cried and tried to run again._

_She grabbed my arm and blood splattered across my shirt._

"_Let me go!" I screamed in terror._

_Her grip from my arm released and I fell to the ground. I scooted away on my hands and knees, scratching up my palms._

"_Stay away from me!"_

_Suddenly, my mother morphed from a bloody body to a clean cut vampire._

"_Cassidy, Cassidy, Cassidy," the monster "tsked"._

_I gasped._

"_Max!"_

_He towered above my little body, his eyes disapproving. _

"_Is that any way to talk to your mother?"_

_I stared at him, my mouth gaping open._

_He shook his head. "You've been a very bad girl, Cassidy. You're too curious and you know too much now."_

_His eyes were furious and his mouth was drawn up in a snarl._

_I scooted away from him fearfully. _

"_We'll just have to fix, won't we?"_

_He leaned down to strike me, and I covered my face with my arms._

_I screamed a high pitch scream._

_But nothing happened. _

_I slowly looked up, shaking. My mother was gone and so was Max. Everything was vacant again._

"_Hello?" I whispered._

_I heard footsteps behind me and I closed my eyes. When would this nightmare end?_

_The footsteps ceased, but I didn't turn around._

_Suddenly, someone picked me up and turned me around, causing me to scream again._

_I opened to my eyes to see…_

"_David?" I whispered, my voice still a little girl's. _

_His blue eyes were full of concern and he took my tiny hands in his. They were all scratched up and bloody from scraping them on the ground. He blew a gust of cool breath against them and I sighed. _

"_They feel better now," I whispered to him. _

_He kissed the top on my head and picked me up. I wrapped my small arms around his neck and buried my face in his shoulder._

_The fabric of his coat was soft and I sighed, relieved._

_The monsters were gone now. I was safe. David was here to save me and nothing could hurt me anymore._

_He walked away from the empty boardwalk with me in his arms._

_000_

I woke up slowly. My eyes opened to reveal a pitch black room. I sighed heavily and stretched, shivering. The room was freezing.

Yawning, I turned to my side only to feel something strange on my neck. I froze and moved my hand to it.

Something was wrapped around my neck. I traced my fingers down it and felt that it was soft. Then, my hands came across a hard trinket.

Puzzled, I sat up in bed and turned on my lamp. Looking down, I saw the last thing I expected to see.

The necklace.

I had left it on my dresser, not on my neck.

I looked up to see the window open. So that's why it had been so cold in here!

I fingered the necklace and sighed. I hadn't put it on me that was for sure. So someone else had to have done it and I knew who.

Somehow I knew this was his way of saying goodbye.

**000**

**Yeah, so I think this was crappy considering I wrote it under pressure from exams but hopefully you guys liked it! Please R&R!**


	26. Chapter 26 Photographs bring memories

**Alright, so sorry for the wait. I'm still in the middle of exams and had to squeeze this one out. Sorry if it's horrible but I've been extremely preoccupied with exams. I studied to Biology for two days, nine and a half hours total. Ugh, it sucks. Anyways, enjoy!**

**000**

_Lightening…_

_Thunder…_

_Lightening…_

_Thunder…_

The clouds are angry as they continuously rub against each other, causing static tension. They get so irritated that they lash out with lightening and only a few seconds after wards do they apologize with thunder. But the lightening still comes first, the harsh blow still comes first and the gentle thunder that helplessly attempts so make amends comes after.

It's funny how something as simple as a thunder storm can relate to someone's problems…

000

"This sucks! I can't do anything!" Carter complained while looking out the window. The storm had only intensified after I got home. The rain beat down on the window panes and the deep rumble of thunder sounded throughout the house.

"It's better than doing farm work," I mumbled, searching through the VHS's we had stacked beside our TV. I lifted my hand to my neck, taking note of the necklace that had remained there since last night.

_His way of saying goodbye…_

I shook my head sadly. Was this really the end?

"Cass? Hello? Cassidy!"

My head snapped up. "What?"

"What movies did you find?" he asked.

I shrugged. "We've already seen all of them at least three times."

He groaned.

I stood up and stared at him. "Hey, here's an idea: why don't you read a book?"

He rolled his eyes. "I've already read all the ones in my room, hello!"

I snorted. "You're right. There_ is_ nothing to do!"

He sighed and flopped down on the couch. I sat next to him and pushed his dirty blonde hair out from behind his eyes.

"You need a haircut," I laughed.

He pushed my hand away. "Jessie likes it this way," he growled.

I stared at him, amazed. "Jessie, as in Jessie Whitehill? The girl you've been trying to go out with for the past four _years?_"

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, Jessie Whitehill, who else?"

I hugged him. "Oh Car! Such a ladies' man, aren't ya?"

He pushed me off. "Yeah, whatever," he said, trying to hide a smile.

"Well, I'm glad you picked her and not some brat from college."

"Yeah."

"So, when did you ask her out?" I asked curiously.

He shrugged. "A few weeks ago."

I squealed.

"You're so weird," he laughed.

I shrugged. "I know."

"So, we've seen all the movies, read all the books, what else is there to do?" he asked.

"Well…"

I racked my brain for anything we could possibly do until something came to me.

I snapped my fingers. "You wanna look through old baby pictures?"

He looked incredulously at me. "_Baby_ pictures?"

"Well, sure! What else is there to do?"

He paused. "I guess…do you even know where they are?"

I snorted. "No, but I bet Dad does."

I got up from the couch. "Dad!" I called up the stairs.

"Yeah?" he called back down.

"Do you know where our old baby pictures are?"

"_Baby pictures?_"

"Yeah!"

It was silent for a moment. "In the attic, why?"

"Carter and I wanna go through them!"

"Hold on! I'll grab them!"

I waited a few seconds before I heard the latch to the attic door open.

I turned around to Carter. "I'll be right back. I'm gonna go help Dad."

He grunted in reply.

I ran up the stairs and into the hallway where the attic door was hanging down from the ceiling. A dusty, brown ladder was leading up to the open passage way where my Dad was standing.

"Tell me again why you want to see these?" he inquired.

I started to climb the ladder. "There's nothing else to do. Besides…I kinda wanna see Mom's face again," I said quietly.

He was silent.

When I reached the open room, I cursed myself for not grabbing a jacket.

"It's freakin' freezing in here!" I hissed, clutching my torso and shivering.

Dad nodded and began scanning over the boxes lying on the wooden floor.

"Here we go," he said, picking up a box.

"There's another one over there," he said, motioning with his head towards the second box.

I nodded.

"Close the door on your way down!" he called from the bottom of the ladder.

"Can do!"

I sighed and lifted the heavy box, groaning at its weight. Carefully, I made my way down the ladder and shut the door when I reach the floor.

Dad was already walking down the stairs and I followed close behind.

000

"Awww! Remember this, Car?" I asked sweetly.

The photograph in my hand brought back wonderful memories. Carter and I were eating ice cream cones on the boardwalk and I had smeared it all over his face.

He snorted. "Yes and my face got all sticky thanks to you."

I laughed and pulled out another pile of photos.

He nudged my side. "Check this out!" he laughed.

I smacked my hand on my head. "Put that away!"

He jumped up, laughing. "No way! I'm sending this to Sam!"

"Carter!" I shouted.

The picture was of me at the Valentine's Day Dance in seventh grade with Sam as my date. He was already in High School, but I had insisted at the time that he take me to the dance (as a friend of course). I was wearing a pink dress that ruffled towards the bottom and black high heeled shoes. My hair was done up all pretty and what not.

I wanted to puke.

"I hate that picture. God, it's probably the only time I ever wore makeup!" I growled.

He laughed. "Sam sure enjoyed that night!"

I smacked his arm. "Shut up!"

I sat back down and looked through the pile on the ground. "If you bring that out in public, Carter, they'll be finding pieces of you all across the farm," I growled.

He snorted and threw the picture at me. "Sure."

For the next hour or so we looked through pictures, finding snap shots of me at the park or Carter at a hockey game. Every once in a while, we would come across some of our mother. She never liked to take photos of herself so we would have to sneak them. In one particular picture, she was holding me as a baby while Carter hugged onto her leg. Her blonde curls snaked down to her waist and her warm, brown eyes were filled with as much love as one person could contain. Around her, the brilliant colors of Fall leaves swirled to the ground and sunlight shone through the gray clouds, enhancing the color of her hair.

She held me in her arms as she tried to pay attention to Carter as well. I smiled and handed Carter the picture.

"Look at this one," I whispered.

He smiled, running his thumb across the picture. "I still hear her voice sometimes," he said quietly.

I looked at him sadly. "Funny…I can't even remember what it sounded like," I whispered.

I cleared my throat to keep myself from crying and put the picture away.

"Look at this one. I don't remember this," he said.

I looked curiously at the photograph in his hand.

There she was, at the boardwalk. She stood behind at stall, honey jars covering the counter. People were lined up trying to buy some, not noticing the little girl that sat at the bottom. She was reading a book titled _Winnie the Pooh Story Book_ and two border collie puppies sat on either side of her. She looked sad, that little girl, and realization hit me like a slap in the face.

"Is that me?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Who else would it be?"

"I just… look so sad. When was this taken?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I think Dad snuck a snap shot of mom. You know how she hated pictures of herself."

Just then, Dad walked down from upstairs.

"Hey, Dad?"

He looked over at us. "Yeah, Cass?"

I held the picture up. "When did you take this?"

He looked at it for a while. "Oh! I took that when you were eight. I wanted a picture of you and your mother but she was being too stubborn about the whole photograph thing. I took it when she didn't notice."

"That's so weird, 'cause I don't remember this day at all," I muttered, returning to the pictures.

There were a few more pictures of my mother and I at the honey stall and I separated them out from the rest. For some reason, I just couldn't remember that day. Up until that point, I had recognized most of my childhood moments. Plus, I was eight, I should have remembered.

"That's so weird," I mumbled.

I stared hard at the picture, scanning over it to see if anything could jog my memory.

Then, I saw something.

I had to double take to make sure what I was seeing was correct.

"N-no…that can't…that's impossible!" I whispered.

What my grandmother said came rushing back into my mind.

"_What are you talking about? There were no vampires in Santa Carla when I was a kid!"_

"_Of course there were."_

Grandma had been right.

There, in the corner of the picture, almost hidden by all the people on the boardwalk stood the last person I would have expected to see.

David.

His expression was clearly one of interest as he watched me from the crowds. And what was worse: he was in every picture.

The memories came flooding back from that day as I looked at the picture.

This was the reason I hummed Winnie the Pooh.

This was the reason I felt so familiar with David.

This was the reason he kept repeated _"Still just the same."_

This was the reason he said _"I'll always find you."_

This day was the reason for everything.

Why had I never remembered it before?

**000**

**Sorry if it sucked to no end! Please R&R!**

**Sunny**


	27. Chapter 27 Confessions

**Alright, so I thought it was unfair to update Seeing and not update this sooo HERE WERE ARE DARLINGS! I know this is shorter than usual but give me a break! I just put out a chapter of Seeing! Anywho ENJOY!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Lost Boys but boy do I wish I did!**

**000**

"Dad?"

I walked slowly into the kitchen, the picture still clutched firmly in my hand. I felt numb from head to toe. The picture had confirmed that David and I knew each other many years back.

Why hadn't he told me?

"Dad?"

"Yeah, Cass?" he called from the kitchen.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

He was taking plates out of the cabinet for dinner. Setting them down gently, he turned around to face me.

"What do ya wanna ask?"

I sighed and sat down on a bar stool at the table."How long have you known Max?"

He stopped short. "Max?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Uh, since before you were born, why?"

I shrugged. "Um, did…did mom ever know Max before you did?"

He looked warily at me. "No."

"When did you first meet Max?"

"What's this all about, Cass?" he snapped.

I blinked, ignoring his anger. "When?"

He sighed. "We met through business, alright. Why do you want to know all of this?"

I shook my head. "No reason."

"What did your mother always tell you?" he growled.

I sighed. "Never to lie," I said quietly.

"So why do you want to know?"

I avoided eye contact. I really didn't want to ask this, but it was now or never.

"Did mom ever have an affair?"

He slammed the platter down on the counter.

"What did you say?" he hissed.

I swallowed. "D-did mom ever have an affair with…Max?"

His face turned bright red and I had never seen more anger in one person's eyes before.

"Cassidy, you're too old for me to tell you to go to your room, but I'm this close from doing so. Don't ever say anything like that again, do you understand?" he asked angrily.

"But, Dad, I just want answers!" I argued.

"NO! SHE DIDN'T! IS THAT ENOUGH?" he shouted. I could see tears forming in his eyes and he turned away from me.

"Dad, are you okay?"

He didn't respond. That wasn't like him.

It dawned on me then.

He knew.

I got up and walked over to him, placing my hand on his shoulder.

"Dad?"

He stiffened under my touch.

I hugged him tight.

"Dad, you knew didn't you?"

He took a shaky breath.

"How did you find out?" he whispered.

"Grandma told me."

He snorted. Two tears ran down his cheeks.

"I loved your mother and she loved me. She…she never slept with him, but I could tell…there just wasn't something right."

Now, tears spilled down my cheeks.

"I saw her talking to him. She just…acted differently. I was sure for a few months that it was nothing but…"

"Dad, it's okay," I whispered.

"Your mother was a good person, one of the best. She loved you and Carter more than you could imagine. She loved me and I loved her, but…but she was dragged into something I can't explain to you."

"Why did you still remain friends with Max then?" I asked quietly.

He shook his head. "It's what your mother wanted. I confronted her about it one day. I told her everything I knew. She cried and cried and I felt so bad. She hadn't done anything wrong, but…but she admitted to….well I don't really know. But I told her I loved her and she said the same. She told me…that she would end it with Max. She loved you both too much."

More tears spilled down my face.

"She died that day, Cass," he said, his voice breaking.

"God, she died! And it was all my fault! She got in that car because of me!"

His body shook.

"It's alright Dad. It's okay."

He wiped his hands across his face and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Cass. I…"

"It's alright Dad."

He stood up straight and kissed my forehead.

"Don't say anything to Carter."

And then he left to go outside.

I stood alone in the kitchen, tears spilling down my face.

But I was determined. I knew I couldn't do any physical damage to Max, but I could find out what really happened between him and my mother.

It was time to fill in the void.

000

"Where to?" the taxi driver asked.

I closed the door and sat back in the leather seat.

"4250 Baker Street."

He nodded and put the car in drive.

Heading to Max's place was more than nerve racking, it was terrifying. I couldn't be sure if he would blow up and completely rip me to pieces or just be calm about the whole thing.

But I had to ask these questions. It seemed Max was in the middle of this whole ordeal.

The ride to his house was horrible. I couldn't stop shaking. The beautiful California Mountains rolled past as the car drove by, but the peacefulness of the landscape couldn't calm my nerves.

"Hey, you okay, Miss?" the driver asked.

I hadn't realized that my foot was tapping against the floor boards.

I cleared my throat. "Oh, yeah, sorry."

"Listen you're not goin' to some drug deal right? 'Cause if you are then you can just get out right here."

I shook my head. "As nervous as I may seem, no, I'm not. I'm seeing…an old friend."

He nodded his head. "Okay."

After a few more moments, we pulled up next to a white fence that led up to a house.

"Here we are," he said, looking back.

I handed him a twenty and opened the door.

"Thanks."

He nodded and drove away.

A dog barked somewhere within the fence and I took a shaky breath. Unlatching the white fence, I stepped inside the pebble walkway and began towards the house. The pathway seemed to take a million years to complete. When I finally reached the front door, it felt as if I had journeyed across the Sahara Desert.

"Here goes nothing," I whispered.

I knocked loudly on the door and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Until…

The door opened.

"Oh, hello, Cassidy!" Max said cheerily while adjusting his jacket.

"I was just about to head off to work! Do you need something?"

From behind me, a dog snarled.

"Thorn!" Max scolded.

He didn't stop and came closer. I glared at the white dog.

"Thorn! Cassidy is a friend!"

Thorn bared his teeth and I backed away from him a little.

"I'm so sorry. I'm not sure what's gotten into him!"

I shook my head. "It's fine," I said bluntly.

He took Thorn by the scruff and dragged him inside, shutting the door.

"What's wrong, Cassidy? You look upset by something."

"I am. You."

He looked confused.

"Me?"

I couldn't help it. My face twisted into a snarl.

"Listen to me, Max. I came here for answers and that's what I'm gonna get."

"Excuse me?"

"You tell me right now…what happened between you and my mother? And explain this."

I held out the picture of me as a child at the honey stall.

He looked down at it then back up at me. A strange look was in his eyes.

Thorn barked from inside the house.

He looked angry now.

"Oh, Cassidy, you picked the wrong night to ask about this."

**000**

**DUN DUN DUN! Please R&R!**

**Sunny**


	28. Chapter 28 Analysis of the past

**HAPPY NEW YEAR MY FRIENDS! Hope you guys all had a great 2010 but 2011 is going to be GREATER! Here's another chapter to kick off the New Year! Enjoy!**

**000**

I scowled and practically shoved the picture in his face again.

"I don't care what kind of day it was. I want you to explain this to me," I growled. Inside, the false bravado was masking the immense fear welling up in my stomach.

He glared at me. "I don't appreciate your tone, Cassidy. I'm sure your father taught you better than that."

"No, my mother did, but she's _dead_ isn't she?" I hissed.

He was silent for a moment. Then, he grabbed my arm and pulled me inside, shutting the door.

I wrenched away from him, becoming aware of the power he had over me.

"_What am I doing? He's a vampire!"_

The adrenaline had convinced me of coming here before my brain had even caught up.

I had just practically asked for a death sentence from the most dangerous predator on the entire fucking Earth.

I looked around the house quickly, noticing all the neat trinkets and gadgets carefully placed in the perfect spot. The house was like a wonderland; the perfect place for a defenseless human to feel at home.

"Let me see that," he snapped, snatching the picture from my hand.

He looked at it for a long time, his eyes most likely trained on the vampire in the picture.

Then, he looked up.

"What do you want me to tell you exactly?" he asked, smirking.

"Why is David in that picture?" I asked sourly.

He snorted. "He's a hundred and ten year old vampire. I'm surprised he hasn't turned up in pictures before this."

The breath was nearly knocked out of me.

"_David's a hundred and ten?"_

"That's not what I meant. This isn't a coincidence."

"How so?" he asked like this conversation was one big joke.

"I…David is…we're…"

How could I explain it?

"Together?" he laughed.

_Well, not anymore…_

My cheeks burned.

He shook his head, laughing quietly.

"You know, when David first met you, I had never seen him seem so unsure. It was almost comical in a way," he said with humor.

"So he _did_ meet me when I was little?"

He snorted. "Well yes, this picture proves that."

"But…just…how?" I asked, flustered.

He shook his head. "He stumbled upon you by accident, the poor boy. Of course, he came back to me and I told him what he wanted to hear."

"And what was that exactly?" I asked warily.

He shrugged. "That he was _intended_ to find you."

"Like a…"

"Soul mate? Yes."

"But… I don't understand?"

"You must understand, David is a very secure, confident person and when he met you, his barrier was attacked. He was…like I said before, unsure. Of course he didn't want to hear that he had lusted for an eight year old, no one does. I simply filled in the gap and reassured him."

"But…why would you do that?"

"David is my son and I protect my family," he stated.

I shook my head. "He's not your son."

"Well, not by blood no, but I created him."

"No, that's…something's not right…"

"Oh?" he asked.

Suddenly, Thorn barked and came racing down the stairs. He stood next to Max, his hackles raised. His growl was menacing and I took a step back.

"Thorn's not pleased with you," he said.

I gulped and attempted to not look at Thorn.

"Something's still not right," I whispered.

"Pardon?" he asked.

"It doesn't make sense…"

He looked at me, puzzled. It was obvious that he thought I was wasting his time.

"You knew my mother before he met me…you…you knew _me_ before he did. It just…doesn't make sense," I whispered.

Suddenly, I was pushed back against the wall with his hand on my throat. His face was nearly touching mine and I tried to look away.

"You're smarter than I took you for, Cassidy. I congratulate you," he hissed.

I closed my eyes, but he took hold of my jaw and wrenched my face to look at him. I stared in desperation at his deformed, vampiric features.

He was even more frightening than David.

His irises were tinted yellow and were red rimmed, his elongated fangs curved slightly in his mouth and his face was distorted like a demon from the darkest caverns of hell.

"Yes, I knew your mother before David ever met you. In fact, your mother was the one that came to me," he laughed.

I struggled against his weight. "Shut up!" I hissed.

He slammed me against the wall again. Picture frames dangled from the nails and other trinkets fell from the wall.

"Be careful, Cassidy. I'm sure David wouldn't appreciate it if he found you in a million little pieces."

I wasn't going to tell Max that David and I weren't currently speaking. It seemed that David was the only reason I was still alive.

Max's hand gripped my face, his clawed fingers digging into my skin.

"Try and face the facts, Cassidy, your mother was my _slave_."

"No!" I whispered.

"Yes. She just couldn't keep away."

I struggled. "No! She broke it off! She didn't want you! She had a family!"

He laughed cruelly and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"Your father was merely a backup plan for Nadya and you and your brother were just extra baggage that she was forced to carry."

I winced as I heard my mother's name.

No one had said that name in over seven years.

"That's not true! My mother loved us!" I hissed.

He laughed. "Your mother resented you!"

My face turned blood red. "You're a liar! She tried to break it off with you and you killed her!"

He slammed me against the wall again. "I killed her because she became unreasonable."

I closed my eyes.

"She felt guilty because she had to leave you behind. Yes, she loved you, but she didn't want you, Cassidy."

"No," I whispered.

"She was going to leave your father for me."

"Then why kill her?"

"Like I said, she became unreasonable. She came to me that day and said the only way she was coming was if _you came too_," he said, almost quietly.

Tears rolled down my face. "What?" I whispered.

He shrugged. "You were her daughter and I suppose she _just couldn't live without you_," he sneered.

My eyes were wide and more tears escaped them.

"I declined, of course, and she became angry. She wouldn't reason with me and I only had one choice."

I shook my head. "You didn't even care, did you?" I whispered.

He laughed. "I'm a vampire, killing is in my nature. Besides, I could always find another."

I let out a shaky breath.

He smirked. "You know, you were right. I didn't do it for David."

I looked at him with wide eyes.

"I did it to get to you. Your mother had been acting very strange. I couldn't figure out why until I saw her with you. The look in her eyes when you were around her. I knew she was drifting away because of _you_," he growled angrily.

I shook my head.

"That's right. You're mother's dead because of you," he said cruelly.

"No!" I screamed.

"I lied to David about the soul mates so he would simply bring you closer to me."

"He wouldn't…" I whispered.

He shook his head. "Even though David is a very harsh individual, he had no idea what I was doing. So don't worry, your _cliché love story_ hasn't been ruined, my dear," he laughed.

"I've wanted you since that day he came to me for advice."

I shook my head. "That's sick," I whispered.

He narrowed his eyes. "Not in _that_ way. I had you mother for that," he laughed.

I looked at him, confused and frightened.

He leaned in closer and I turned away from him. His claws dug deeper into my skin and created tiny cuts that bled little droplets of crimson liquid.

"You're my greatest hunt," he whispered.

My eyes widened in fear.

"That's right, I've hunted you for ten years and every day, it's harder to resist. But now I've got you right where I want you. Let me guess, you didn't tell anybody where you were going, right?" he laughed.

I remained silent.

"Bad idea," he whispered.

"Oh, Cassidy, this is going to be so much fun."

**000**

**So I hope you guys liked it! I know it's been awhile since I updated but I went on vacation with my best friend Ladywolf101 and she inspired me to write another chapter for you guys! **

**Happy New Year!**

**;D**

**Sunny**


	29. Chapter 29 Should I believe him?

**Sorry for uploading this so many time…FF is being weird and stuff…**

**Thank you, my friends for reading this story and staying through with me 'till the end! Y'all are awesome! (yes, I am southern, does that surprise you?) This is indeed the last chapter! Alas, I know you are probably going to wring my neck until I turn black and blue but….I'll survive! There will be a sequel called (*drum rolls*)….**

**Vertigo**

**Cool name right? Anyways, there is symbolism in it, not just chosen at random! **

**Again I want to thank all that have reviewed and added this story to their favorites and alert sub.! It really means more to me than any of you will ever know! Just to see that someone liked my story makes my heart soar! To be honest, I thought everyone would completely flame it! **

**Anyways, enjoy this final chapter!**

**Sunny**

**000**

I screamed as something sharp stabbed into my leg. Max let me go and I fell to the floor.

"I told you, Cassidy, Thorn's not happy with you," he scoffed.

I looked down to see Thorn's sharp fangs attached to my ankle. I tried to wrench it loose, but that ended up more painful that helpful.

Thorn snarled against my leg and tightened his grip.

"Let go!" I screeched and whacked him on the nose.

That resulted in a bite to the hand. I screamed.

_Can you say OUCH?_

"Max! Make him stop!" I cried, clutching my hand to my breast.

He laughed. "Why should I? It's much easier for me to cover up your _accident_ if Thorn does it for me."

It dawned on me then. If Max used Thorn then he could use the excuse of a dog attack and no one would suspect a thing. Thorn would start off and Max would finish.

I squeezed my eyes shut and prayed for it all to end.

"Please, please, please, please…" I kept whispering.

I heard Max snort. "You're pathetic, Cassidy, really, you are."

I opened my eyes and stared up at him. His yellow irises glinted dangerously and I scooted back as far as I could go. Unfortunately, that wasn't very far.

Thorn took a step forward, growling and showing his canines. They dripped with saliva and my blood and he opened his mouth in a full snarl.

"Jesus Christ," I whispered, wincing in pain.

Blood was pooling all over the floor, soaking my shoes and Thorn's white paws. The smell was god awful and it took all my strength to keep from throwing up.

I felt nauseated and scared shitless.

"Oh, Cassidy, you knew this day would come," Max said quietly, backing up a little.

I shook my head, trying to put humor in my pathetic situation.

"Actually I had no idea this was coming."

Yeah, that didn't work out the way I had planned.

"Don't tell me you didn't notice _anything_ strange! You're not stupid, Cassidy!" he said angrily.

"Why does it fucking matter?" I spat.

I was slammed back against the wall again.

"It means everything!" he snarled.

Ever heard of killers enjoying watching their victims deteriorate over time because of fear?

This was Max.

He gripped my hand tightly and I screamed in pain.

"You're fucking psychotic!" I cried.

He let go of me then, laughing.

"It's in my nature."

I winced as I inspected my hand which was now bleeding excessively because of Max. I pulled up my jeans a little and looked at my ankle. The bone was just visible and the muscle and skin were ripped. Giant teeth marks were etched into my skin and I knew they would leave a permanent scar.

"I fucking hate you!" I hissed, blood lightly dripping from my mouth. Being hit back against a wall so much will that to do a girl.

He looked at me, a look of mock depression across his face.

"_Why?_ I haven't done anything _too_ bad to you!" he laughed.

I glared at him. "Is this what you did to Maria, you bastard? Huh! Or was it worse for her!" I shouted.

He stopped short. "Maria?"

I didn't answer him, instead gripped my ankle to try and stop the bleeding.

"You think I _killed_ her?" he laughed.

I looked up. "What else should I assume? I called their house and the voicemail said they went to a private funeral! And to top it all off, Holly _told me_ you did!" I spat.

He laughed loudly. "I admired your persistence at finding Maria, Cassidy, I really did. But even you should have known something was wrong," he scoffed.

"What do you mean?" I asked hoarsely.

"Yes, they're gone for a private funeral, but not Maria's, you stupid girl. Her cousin was killed in a car accident in San Francisco. Didn't you realize that the funeral wasn't in Santa Carla?"

I blinked.

"So…so she's not dead? Then why the hell did Holly-"

"Because that's what I told her to tell you. Like I said, my master plan came to life, my dear girl. You're just like a lost child, so gullible that you'll believe anything anyone tells you!" he laughed.

"You believed it and that brought you even closer to me. You getting involved with the boys was all part of my plan."

I shuddered. "But…."

So Maria wasn't dead? Then that would explain why all the boys were so hesitant to tell me where she was!

"But…wouldn't that mean the boys _knew?_" I whispered.

He sighed. "No. I told you, they don't know anything. My instructions were strict. They were not to tell you where she went. End of story."

I shook my head, earning myself a dizzy headache.

"You're sick, you know that?" I said, spitting out blood on the ground.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that. You're just more of…an obsession," he finished.

"Now," he said, turning away, "I'll leave you and Thorn together," he chuckled darkly.

"I'll be back for you soon," he said and slipped away into a different room.

"Good luck," I heard him say humorously.

I closed my eyes. "Shit…" I whispered.

A deep growling sounded in the room and Thorn barked twice. The click of his claws across the wooden floor unnerved me and I breathed in deep, fearful breaths.

I had a feeling Max had somehow told Thorn to maul my ankle so that I couldn't leave.

Smart dog.

I peeked out at Thorn and saw his mouth open wide in a silent snarl. His brown eyes glinted with a predatory gleam and his tail and hackles were raised.

I had seen this look before on my dogs.

He was prepared to kill.

"Thorn," I said warily, attempting to stand up, my ankle nearly giving out.

He barked ferociously and I quickly sat back down.

"Okay! Okay!" I said warily, eying him carefully.

He stepped closer, snarling. The blood pounded in my ears and I began to see black spots. My hands were shaking badly.

I was shutting down.

I pulled my legs up to my chest with what little energy I had left and wrapped my arms around them.

"Thorn, please…" I pleaded with him.

I know he was a dog and all, but still.

His claws clicked against the floor again and he ran at me at full speed.

I closed my eyes and braced myself for the attack.

But nothing happened.

_Silence…_

Suddenly, there were two sets of growls in the room, both I recognized.

I opened my eyes and felt my heart give out in relief.

There he stood, standing in front of me to block Thorn.

They both growled at each other, Thorn showing his teeth. I couldn't see David's face but I was sure it was terrifying.

I looked up at him, seeing his blonde hair, the collar of his leather jacket and his black trench coat. It felt so comforting to see him that I nearly hugged his legs just to make sure he was real.

"David?" I asked, relieved.

He looked over his shoulder, his blue eyes sharp with hostility.

"Stay there," he growled, looking back at Thorn.

"Yeah, no problem there," I muttered, looking down at my ankle.

David stepped forward, growling again and surprisingly, Thorn backed away.

His brown eyes darted over to me, then back to David.

"What's he doing?" I whispered.

"Max gave him an order," was all David said.

He let out this terrifying snarl and Thorn backed away even more.

"Go," he growled.

Thorn was still for a minute before snorting and trotting into another room.

David was still for a minute longer before he swiftly turned around.

"Can you stand?" he asked gruffly.

"Barely, I-"

Before I even knew what was happening, he lifted me up and brought his arm around my waist. He started walking before I could and I stumbled a little, hissing in pain.

"We have to go fast. Max will be back soon," he growled, not looking at me.

"Where did he go?" I asked quietly as we struggled out the open front door.

"To get an appetizer," he growled.

I shuddered.

_Welcome to the mind of a vampire._

We walked across the white bridge in Max's front yard and I noticed all the flower beds. Despite the freezing weather, quite a few of them were still in bloom.

A few red flowers here, a few blue flowers there. It was quite strange, now knowing what Max was capable of and seeing that he kept a garden going.

I shook my head and focused on getting to the road.

David looked around warily, stopping short.

"Are you afraid of heights?"

"No, but-"

"Good," he said, suddenly picking me up bridal style.

"Wait, what are you…?"

"Flying," he responded, avoiding eye contact.

And as soon as he spoke, we were up in the air.

It's kind of hard to imagine someone…flying, but it was even better than the motorcycle ride.

The full moon shone bright in the black sky and I stared at it in wonder.

The December air bit and snapped at my bare cheeks and I was forced to bury my face into his coat. It was very warm in there, might I say.

I felt guilty though, my hand was bleeding all over his black T-shirt.

"I hope you can wash this," I mumbled into his coat.

I felt him look down and I held my hand up.

"Don't worry about it," he said stiffly.

I looked up at him, now noticing the cold tone in his voice.

But he wouldn't make eye contact with me and that was worrying.

Almost as soon as we were up, we landed on the ground. He gently placed my feet on the soft earth and I raised my hand to check on it. It was still bleeding, though not as bad as before. I was a little unsteady on my ankle, but I would live.

That was when I decided to take a look around.

I was home.

More specifically, by the pond where I used to talk to my mother when I was little; cornfields surrounded us. I was filled with a sudden sense of nostalgia.

"Why did…?"

But he interrupted me.

"I told you before that I never lied to you."

I looked at him confused. His beautiful blue eyes were troubling. They held a look of bitterness to them and I became scared.

The moon turned his blonde hair an ash color and I realized how much I missed seeing him.

"Yes, but I…didn't believe you," I said quietly.

"And I told you that I wouldn't be here when you found out the truth."

I nodded, my eyes casting down towards the ground with guilt.

"But you were right," I said.

He ignored me.

"That was the only time I ever lied to you, Cassidy and I won't repeat that mistake," he said, lifting my hand up.

Then, from his pocket, he removed a cloth. It had coins sewn on to it and was multicolored.

I recognized it immediately. It was the cloth that I had liked to much back at the cave. The one that had reminded me of my mother.

"You kept it with you the entire time?" I asked, stunned.

But he didn't answer. Instead, he began wrapping my hand in it until my wound was covered up. Then, he gently kissed my hand and let it drop to my side.

There was a concluding look in his eyes as if he had come to a decision.

"Don't expect this again," he said.

Then, he turned around and disappeared into the cornfields, leaving the stalks to tremble in his departure.

I closed my hand into a fist around the cloth and stared at the empty space in front of me. The moon now seemed like my only friend, casting down a silver glow to the pond. My reflection was sad; the girl in the water looked numb.

I breathed out a sob.

And as the cold December air blew against my cheeks, I thought about the future.

Would he ever come back?

Or was this the end…


	30. Chapter 30 TFD playlist

**Sorry for uploading this soooo many times…FF is being weird and stuff…**

**Hello my friends! Yes, so I thought you would enjoy my selective playlist that I listened to while writing The Farmer's Daughter these past few months. So these songs are the thing that started it all! You can thank the artists of all of them! :D So I would encourage listening to all of them (yes I realize there are a lot) but that helps you all understand a little bit better how I saw this story in my head! :D Enjoy listening and look out for the sequel to The Farmer's Daughter, Vertigo!**

**Sunny**

Instrumental Theme- Pastures New by Nickel Creek

Theme- One Slip by Pink Floyd

Polly Come Home by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss (this song goes with chapter 18, David's perspective)

Trampled Rose by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

Nothin' by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

Please Read the Letter by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

How by Lisa Loeb (this song is intended to be listening to at the very end of the last chapter)

Out of the Woods by Nickel Creek

Lions by The Features

Lonely Girl by Dala

Hard Sun (main) by Eddie Veder

The Children of Lir by Bruce Huron

Auld Lang Syne by Dave Francis and Mairi Cambell

Last Night On Earth by Green Day

Cry by Kelly Clarkson

If I can't have you by Kelly Clarkson

November Rain by Guns 'N Roses

Don't Cry by Guns 'N Roses

Howl by Florence + The Machine

I still believe by Tim Capello

Impossible by Kelly Clarkson

Haunted by Taylor Swift

Nights in White Satin (single edit) by Moody Blues

Wicked Game by Chris Isaak

Hard Time Killing Floor Blues by Chris Thomas King

Ain't It Fun by Guns 'N Roses

The Lighthouse's Tale by Nickel Creek

Hello/Goodbye by Erin McCarley

Roadhouse Blues by The Doors

People Are Strange by Echo & The Bunnymen

Rise by Eddie Veder

Bard Dance by Enya

Standing Outside The Fire by Garth Brooks

To Make You Feel My Love by Garth Brooks

The Fire by Imogen Heap

All Wrapped Up by Jason Castro

All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye by John Mayer

Heartbreak Warfare by John Mayer

I'm On Fire by John Mayer

Hot Summer Nights by Miami Sound Machine

Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On) by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

In Need by Sheryl Crow

Fade by Staind


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